Our proposals

Site A

Site A is located west of the B660 between Pertenhall and Swineshead and comprises of arable fields to the north, west and east side of a small hill between Pertenhall and Riseley.

Our proposals in this area include:

• Installation of ground-mounted solar panels, along with associated inverters, transformers and switchgear
• Three temporary construction and decommissioning compounds
• Works to create, enhance and maintain the natural environment, including new hedgerow and tree planting, along with the creation of new diverse grassland meadows to mitigate impacts on ground nesting birds and help deliver biodiversity net gain
• Use of an existing access to Pertenhall Solar Farm off the B660 (Kimbolton Road) for construction, operation and decommissioning works traffic.

How have the proposals changed over time?

In response to statutory consultation feedback, our final design in this area includes an increase to the set back between our proposals and bridleway 37 by an additional 10 metres. This change will allow for new woodland planting and screening.

_{↓ Drag the arrows left and right to see how our proposals have changed between the 2024 statutory consultation and our development consent order application.}

Site B

Site B is located between Pertenhall, Keysoe and Little Staughton. It comprises of arable fields north of an elevated ridgeline that runs between Keysoe and Little Staughton.

Our proposals in this area include:

• Installation of ground-mounted solar panels, along with associated inverters, transformers and switchgear
• An underground cable connection between the eastern edge of Site B and the western edge of Site C, to connect the two sites together
• Five temporary construction and decommissioning compounds, including site offices, delivery areas, car parking and storage
• Works to create, enhance and maintain the natural environment, including new areas of hedgerow and tree planting to provide visual screening and habitat connectivity, along with a new area of species-diverse grassland to help deliver biodiversity net gain, and new permissive pathways across part of the site
• Upgrades to four existing field accesses off Great Staughton Road, three existing field accesses off Little Staughton Road, one existing field access off the B660 (Kimbolton Road) and one existing field access off Spring Hill for construction, operation and or/decommissioning works traffic.

How have the proposals changed over time?

Following our non-statutory consultation in 2023, we removed solar development from two parcels of land in this area.

In response to statutory consultation feedback, our final design in this area has seen the removal of further parcels of solar development from various locations, with a particular focus on the area around Little Staughton. We have also reintroduced a small area of solar development at a location north of The Kangaroo, along with new woodland planting and screening. North west of Little Staughton, we have moved the alignment of the site access further north to increase the distance from a nearby residential property and reduce the impact on a nearby footpath.

_{↓ Drag the arrows left and right to see how our proposals have changed between the 2024 statutory consultation and our development consent order application.}

Site C

Site C is south of Great Staughton and comprises of arable fields to the south of the River Kym.

Our proposals in this area include:

• Installation of ground-mounted solar panels, along with associated inverters, transformers and switchgear
• An underground cable connection between the eastern edge of Site B and the western edge of Site C, and between the eastern edge of Site C and the western edge of Site D, to connect the different sites together
• A temporary secondary construction and decommissioning compound, including site offices, delivery areas, car parking and storage
• Works to create, enhance and maintain the natural environment, including around an area where archaeology surveys previously identified the remains of a probable Roman Small Town. We are also proposing new areas of hedgerow and tree planting to provide visual screening, habitat connectivity and to help deliver biodiversity net gain
• Use of an existing access off Great Staughton Road for construction traffic moving between Site B and Site C, and upgrades to an existing access off Moor Road for operation works traffic.

How have the proposals changed over time?

Prior to our statutory consultation in 2024, archaeology survey work identified the probable site of a previously unknown Roman Small Town to the north and east of New Wood. We therefore removed solar development from this land and worked with Historic England to have the archaeology findings designated as a Scheduled Monument. As this change would otherwise result in a decrease in the overall generating capacity of our plans, we added an additional parcel of solar development at the western edge of Site C to our plans.

In response to statutory consultation feedback, our final design in this area includes an increase in the distance between our proposals and the existing environment by removing small amounts of solar development near Garden Farm and Staughton Manor. We have also removed an area of solar development close to the archaeology findings, where we are now proposing new woodland planting. Along Great Staughton Road, whilst we are still proposing to make use of an existing access point to enter Site C, we are now proposing to build a new access track rather than use an existing private track. Finally, we have decided to locate the battery energy storage system (BESS) and internal substation in Site D, meaning that we have removed the option to locate this infrastructure from Site C.

_{↓ Drag the arrows left and right to see how our proposals have changed between the 2024 statutory consultation and our development consent order application.}

Site D

Site D is between Great Staughton and Hail Weston and comprises of arable fields.

Our proposals in this area include:

• Installation of ground-mounted solar panels, along with associated inverters, transformers and switchgear
• A battery energy storage system (BESS) and on-site substation. The BESS would include battery storage units, transformers, water storage tanks and a control building, whilst the on-site substation would include a control building and electrical equipment
• An underground cable connection between the eastern edge of Site C and the western edge of Site D, and the western edge of Site D and Eaton Socon substation, where the project would connect into the electricity transmission network
• A temporary primary construction and decommissioning compound, including site offices, delivery areas, car parking and storage
• Works to create, enhance and maintain the natural environment, including new areas of hedgerow and tree planting to provide visual screening and habitat connectivity, along with new species-diverse grassland to help deliver biodiversity net gain
• A new access via the B645 for the primary construction compound, two new accesses off Duloe Road and Bushmead Road, and upgrades to existing accesses off Moor Road, Duloe Road and Bushmead Road for construction, operation and/or decommissioning works traffic.

How have the proposals changed over time?

Following our non-statutory consultation in 2023, we identified a potential location within Site D where the BESS and internal substation could be located. Following the statutory consultation, we have confirmed that this infrastructure will be located in Site D and removed the alternative location in Site C from our plans.

_{↓ Drag the arrows left and right to see how our proposals have changed between the 2024 statutory consultation and our development consent order application.}