Windel Energy and Canadian Solar have started the stage two consultation on the 350MW Mallard Pass solar farm in England.
The project is planned to be situated across land either side of the East Coast main rail line near Essendine, partly situated in South Kesteven and Lincolnshire, and partly in Rutland.
The consultation will run for 10 weeks, until Thursday 4 August.
During this time, the Mallard Pass project team will be presenting more developed plans for the solar farm.
The updated proposals have been informed by the feedback received during the stage one consultation and the results of environmental surveys and assessments.
The more detailed design includes suggested mitigation and enhancement measures for the proposed area, which include residential ‘buffer zones’, the creation of 108 hectares of wildflower and tussock grassland areas, and the introduction of 4.7km of new permissive paths.
The proposed area for solar panels and infrastructure has decreased by over 100 hectares since stage one.
The consultation features a series of both in-person and digital exhibition events, providing opportunities for the community and key stakeholders alike to find out more and provide their feedback.
The first webinar will be held on 17 June from 11am to 1pm, with a second on 5 July from 6pm to 8pm.
In addition, in-person events will take place on 25 June from 11am to 5pm at Essendine village hall, 29 June from 3pm to 8pm at Stamford town hall, 30 June from 3pm to 8pm at Greatford village hall and 1 July from 12:30pm to 4:30pm at Ryhall village hall.
Windel Energy managing director Gary Toomey said: “The first quarter of 2022 has demonstrated our vulnerability to volatile energy prices and international energy markets and our urgent need for new energy generation infrastructure, particularly from clean, low-cost sources such as solar.
“It is our ambition to deliver a project that provides reliable and sustainable energy to the national grid while responding sensitively to the local environment, providing opportunities for surrounding communities, and offering enhancements to native wildlife and biodiversity.
“We are pleased to announce the launch of our stage two statutory consultation, where we will have an opportunity to present an updated design for Mallard Pass that responds to stage one feedback and our environmental work to date.
“We are eager to hear your thoughts on our changes and improvements since stage one, and this stage two feedback will help us further inform the development of Mallard Pass.
“Our stage two consultation materials are now live, and we will be coming to the community to host four in-person local consultation events soon.
“I encourage anyone with an interest in Mallard Pass to get in touch and take part in our upcoming stage two statutory consultation.”