Planners have given the green light for a 50MW solar farm near the English village of Costock, Nottinghamshire. Boultbee Brooks Renewable Energy is developing the Highfields Solar Farm on a 70-hectare site. The company has claimed that planting species-rich grass, wildflowers and hedgerows around the site will significantly benefit the environment by increasing the area’s net biodiversity by as much as 122%. The JV partnership, which last year was given planning permission to develop a 10MW solar farm near Northwold, West Norfolk, is working on a 400MW pipeline of similar projects across 17 sites throughout the UK.
In relation to Highfields, Infraland was assisted by Pegasus Group which provided planning advice. Boultbee Brooks’ managing director James Whitcher said: “Together with Infraland, we are working to develop a new portfolio of efficient and biodiverse solar parks across the UK. “We are delighted that the various projects we embarked on together in 2019 are beginning to show the fruits of our and the wider team’s labour.” Co-founding director of Infraland Nick Barber added: “It is great to have received our planning consent at Costock. “We have a long-term commitment to this project as we will be overseeing the construction, delivery and ongoing asset management of the project which is due to commence in 2024.”
Credits: renews.biz [Image: Boultbee Brooks]