South Gloucestershire Council in England has given consent to the 18MW-plus solar farm north-east of Bristol, that once operational will generate enough power for up to 4400 homes.
The site comes with a package of landscape, ecological and biodiversity benefits and has a community benefit fund of £37,000.
Developer Renewable Connections submitted the application to the council in October 2022, having undertaken consultation with the community earlier that year.
The 18.75MW Codrington Solar Farm was approved by delegated powers on the 11 August following a recommendation for approval by South Gloucestershire Council.
“We are delighted to have received approval for Codrington Solar Farm,” said Renewable Connections development director John Leith.
“Councils such as South Gloucestershire understand urgent action is required to limit the environmental impacts produced by the climate crisis and many have now declared their own climate emergency.”
South Gloucestershire Council declared a climate emergency in May 2019 and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030. Renewable Connections stated a commitment to target 6% of the council’s energy to be provided by locally based renewables by 2028 and 25% by 2036.
“There are significant benefits to this scheme, aside from the obvious low carbon, home-grown energy it will deliver,” added Leith.
“The solar farm has been designed to allow a raft of landscape, ecological and biodiversity benefits. This includes barn owl boxes, bird nesting boxes, beehives, log piles and restoration of traditional field boundaries.
“Land between and beneath the panels will be used for biodiversity enhancements and seasonal grazing.
Existing hedgerows surrounding the site will be bolstered with additional hedgerow and tree planting. The new hedgerows will deliver biodiversity enhancements by providing green ecological corridors and generally the site would enhance or provide new habitats for a wide range of insects, birds and animals.”
Construction of the site is expected to start in early 2025.