A planning application for a 50MW solar farm on a former coal mine in County Durham, England, has been approved by councillors.
Bluefield Renewable Developments, a UK-based renewable energy business, secured permission to create a 49.9MW PV asset at Bluestone Farm – to the north of Cockfield and south-east of the village of High Lands.
Once operational, the developer said the project will generate significant renewable energy, reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and help Durham County Council to achieve its ambitious climate change goals – having declared a climate emergency in 2019.
The solar farm will generate enough electricity to power approximately 13,000 households annually. This would represent a projected carbon emission reduction of around 8,700 tonnes, the equivalent of taking around 5000 cars off the road each year.
Although not a planning requirement, the scheme will also see Bluefield establish a £400,000 community fund set aside for local energy and energy efficiency initiatives.
An open cast and deep coal mining site prior to its use for grazing sheep, the site of the proposed solar farm was carefully chosen to minimise visual impact said Bluefield. The majority of the site is well screened by existing belts of established trees and hedgerows and additional planting will provide further cover and enhance the area’s biodiversity.
The land the solar farm will occupy is classified as Grade 3B – which is not deemed to be the best and most versatile land – and the current farmer has agreed to resume sheep grazing around the arrays once the plant is operational, removing fears of an impact on food production.
At the planning committee, Councillor Jonathan Elmer called the application “really impressive” and added: “I’m really pleased to see that there is an impressive suite of community benefits coming from this. I know this isn’t material to the planning application, but it is so important in gaining wider acceptability for these sorts of schemes… that particularly the local community gains from some sort of direct benefit from them.”
Councillor Patricia Jopling said: “I do sometimes question solar farms but having looked at this one and where it is…I don’t honestly think, when you look right across the landscape, that its going to make a huge difference.” Before adding, in summing up her support for the application: “I do think that the company has actually gone as far as they can go to try and placate all the things that would cause really big issues.” The application passed with a 10 to 2 vote.
Bluefield development director Alan Connolly added: “We are delighted to have secured planning permission for our Bluestone Solar Farm project.
“An area of land that was once used to extract fossil fuels that powered our industrial past, will now be utilised to produce significant and sustainable clean energy for the future.
“We have undertaken extensive consultation with the local community and Durham ward councillors for over two years and the proposals have been well received.
“Equally, where suggestions have been made, we have listened – including taking the decision to replace some solar panels with additional biodiversity enhancement areas, to help local flora and fauna to thrive.
“The community fund we are providing will support energy and energy efficiency initiatives at Lands Village Hall and Butterknowle Primary School.
“We have also agreed to carry out energy surveys and work with the community on a retrofit solar and battery programme for around 60 local houses.”
Bluefield managing director Jonathan Selwyn concluded: “This successful planning outcome is testament to our team’s focus on identifying and designing well-screened sites that sit well in the landscape, enhance biodiversity and avoid impacting on food security.
“The provision of significant renewable energy here will help meet the county’s environmental goals, whilst respecting the area’s rich and historic energy producing heritage.
“The Bluefield Development team has now secured planning for 400MW of solar and battery energy storage projects. A further 325MW has received planning in conjunction with our development partners.
“As the lowest cost, quickest to deploy and most popular of all energy sources, solar is already making an important contribution to addressing both the climate emergency and the cost-of-living crisis.”
Bluestone will be Bluefield’s first solar farm in County Durham – and fourth in the north-east of England following three successful applications in Bedlington and Blyth, Northumberland, in the last 12 months.