Plans to build the 30MW community-owned solar farm on the English/Welsh border near Chester have moved one step closer to realisation with the granting of planning consent by Cheshire West and Chester Council for one half of the proposed development.
Ynni Newydd believe the project will be the largest community-owned solar farm and a landmark for the community energy sector in the UK. Local people and organisations will be encouraged to take up shares as members in the society. So far we have received over 200 expressions of interest, promotion of the scheme will now be escalated in the New Year of 2024 as the project is progressed towards installation. Members will be part owners and receive interest on their shares, with the surplus profits, forecast to aggregate to £millions over the operational lifetime, going towards funding projects of “community benefit”.
The site covers 120-acres of adjoining land – half in Wales and half in England. Separate planning applications had to be submitted to the statutory bodies on either side of the border, together with a detailed assessment of the environmental impacts. The land on the Cheshire side is within the Green Belt and Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee had to decide if there are sufficient environmental, social and economic justifications to overcome the presumption against development in the Green Belt. Speaking at the planning meeting, committee member Councillor Myles Hogg said: “I’m a fierce defender of our precious green belt so the test I always apply is ‘are there any special circumstances?’. I believe that in this instance there are. The land, as we’ve heard, is not of high agricultural quality and the production of green energy is vital.’’
As well as retaining agricultural production on the fields through the continuation of sheep grazing, the planning officer’s report noted that the ‘scheme includes significant measures for long-term biodiversity increase across the site by creating species -rich neutral grasslands’ and increasing the amount and diversity of hedgerows. On the 17th August the planning committee unanimously backed the proposed development which was then referred to the Secretary of State to decide whether to ‘call in’ the application decision for review, by 19th September 2023 -This date has now passed! So great news!!
Whats Next
In Wales, the project is classed as a Development of National Significance and has been assessed by the Welsh Planning Inspectorate. The final decision to approve the welsh side of the project now rests with the Minister for Rural Affairs & North Wales who will announce their decision towards the end of the year.
Our Thanks
The society has a volunteer board representing the coming together of community interests from both sides of the national boundary – Chester Community Energy ltd, the Severn Wye Energy Agency, Ynni Teg ltd and Datblygiadau Egni Gwledig (DEG). YnNi Newydd is grateful for both local support, receiving numerous letters of support from the English and Welsh side and for public grant support received from both the Welsh and UK Governments and advice from government agencies which has helped it to work through a long and detailed development process.
The project has received grant funding from the Welsh Government Energy Service, the Rural Community Energy Fund [established by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy] and loans from the Development Bank For Wales and the Robert Owen Community Bank.
A spokesperson for Chester Community Energy said:
“ We are delighted that this major community energy project, in collaboration between organisations in Wales and England has received this first stage approval. Chester Community Energy works closely with Cheshire West and Chester Council to identify projects to provide renewable energy to community buildings and schools, however Bretton Hall Solar Farm will achieve significantly more in meeting the Council’s climate emergency goals than we can achieve on our own”.
Become a Member:
If you wish to complete an expression of interest, and/Or receive updates on the solar farm development please go to https://www.brettonhallsolar.co.uk/buying-shares/