Enray Power submit plans to South Kesteven District Council for solar farm at Dyke, near Bourne

Plans have been submitted to turn six agricultural fields into a solar farm to power more than 13,000 homes.

Rugby-based Enray Power - formerly Integrum Renewable Energy - has proposed a 54.5-hectare solar farm at Home Farm, Dyke, near Bourne.

The application to South Kesteven District Council says the green energy facility would export up to 28 megawatts (MW) and provide enough electricity for up to 13,661 homes.

It would comprise of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels, in place for 40 years after which the land would be returned to arable farming.

As well as the panels - which would have a height of 2.9 metres at maximum tilt - the development would also include six solar transformers and a control room. It would be connected to the National Grid at Bourne Substation.

There is already a smaller 4.6MW solar farm within a mile of the proposed development at Lodge Farm, Spalding Road, which was approved in 2011.

And screening applications for further solar farms - to check if plans would need environmental impact assessments - were made to the council for a 71-hectare site at Limes Farm, in 2022, and for a 15.5-hectare site at Northorpe Fen Farm, near Thurlby, last February.

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Developers say the size of the site has been “substantially reduced” from original plans, and set further away from Dyke, and that the plans are supported by the farming landowner, W Ash and Sons, and the NFU.

It proposes tree and hedge planting around the site boundaries, as well as grassland planting to tackle the site’s blackgrass problem and help “improve future productive use of the land”.

“Overall, there is no impact to food security through undermining the productivity of the farm,” the planning statement said.

“Jobs will be created, the farm business will be diversified and continue to produce food on the wider landholding, blackgrass will be addressed, helping the soil for future generations, and community benefits in terms of labour and educational opportunities will be provided.”

Developers also say they will follow Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust recommendations to improve habitat in neighbouring fields and create ‘plots’ for displaced skylarks, with eight of the bird’s territories estimated to be on the site.

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