The Grimsby solar farm will also offer an annual Community Benefit Fund which will give £700,000 by the end of its 35-year operational lifetime. Image Unsplash.
North East Lincolnshire Council has approved Aura Power’s 49.4MW solar farm in Grimsby, making this the Bristol-based developer’s second solar approval this November.
Earlier this month, Aura Power received planning permission from Darlington Council for its 49.9MW Burtree Lane solar farm.
Similarly to its other projects, the Grimsby solar farm will offer ecological enhancements which, the company anticipate, will boost biodiversity by over 71% over baseline conditions. These additions include planting wildflowers across the site and sowing woodland around its perimeter. As well as creating new habitats, the enhancements aim to improve drainage and shield the solar farm completely from view.
The site also offers a £20,000 Community Benefit Fund every year, which will give £700,000 by the end of its 35-year operational lifetime.
“We are excited to move forward with the construction phase and contribute to North East Lincolnshire’s commendable ambition to become “the UK’s leading region for low-carbon energy and the UK capital of the renewable energy industry“”, said Aura Power planning manager George Wilyman.
“As well as producing clean renewable energy at low cost, we are also offering a yearly community fund for the lifetime of the solar farm which will go towards refurbishment work on Aylesbury church as well as other local projects and educational initiatives”.
Construction for the Grimsby solar farm, which is estimated to generated 94,000MWh annually, is set to begin in 2024.
Aura Power is continuing to expand its solar and storage portfolio, receiving 420MWp of solar and storage planning approvals this year, whilst a further 250MWp of solar proposals are pending a decision. Earlier this year Gateshead Council granted planning permission for 190MW of battery energy storage projects across Newburn Bridge Road and Northern Powergrid’s substation.