Consultation to be held over proposals of new solar farm north of Londonthorpe
A public consultation will be held over proposals for a new solar farm.
Low Carbon, an energy investment company, is proposing to submit a planning application to South Kesteven District Council to build Ash Tree Solar Farm – a solar farm and battery energy storage on land west of High Dyke Road and north of Londonthorpe.
A consultation will be held on Thursday, October 19, from 2pm until 7pm at the Cedar Suite, in Belton Woods Hotel, to allow the public to see the plans, learn more about the proposal and talk to the project team.
The project would have a capacity of approximately 49.9MW, which is enough energy to meet the average annual electricity demands of around 16,000 homes, according to Low Carbon.
It also proposes to cancel out around 9,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
In a leaflet about the project, Low Carbon said: “We need to reduce our reliance on foreign fossil fuels to fight climate change and the cost-of-living crisis.
“In April 2022 the government’s British Energy Security Strategy set an ambition to increase the UK’s solar capacity from 14GW to 70GW by 2035.
“National Grid also estimates that this will require a twelve-fold increase in storage capacity by 2050.
“In September 2019 South Kesteven District Council declared a Climate Emergency, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”
The leaflet stated that the project would assist SKDC in “reducing greenhouse gas emissions with local and national targets in response to the climate emergency.”
It would also contribute towards the security of energy supply in Lincolnshire, as well as deliver “biodiversity and ecological enhancements” to improve the local environment.
It also said that consideration would avoid effects on landscape, heritage or ecological designations.
If approved, the construction of the project is estimated to take around 30 weeks.
The public are able to give their feedback at https://www.ashtreesolarfarm.co.uk/the-project.
The deadline to submit feedback is Monday, October 30.
