Clean energy developer British Solar Renewables (BSR) has submitted a planning application for a 15MW solar PV power plant in Kent.
The proposed Harp Farm Solar Park is set to be located near Maidstone, Kent, and will sit on approximately 76 acres of land. As well as the solar PV panels, substation and associated infrastructure, the site will include a number of biodiversity enhancements, including wildflower and wild bird seed grasslands. A range of breeding boxes for bats, birds and dormice are also being considered as part of the application.
If approved, the site is expected to deliver a biodiversity net gain of at least 60%, and will be restored to its previous state following a 40-year operational lifespan.
In a post on the developer’s Facebook page, British Solar Renewables states that it is “excited about what [the development] could bring to the local area”, adding: “We believe solar can do more than generate power – it can support local ecosystems, strengthen communities and create a cleaner, brighter future for everyone”.
A big year for BSR
Last week, BSR announced that it had launched a community consultation regarding plans for the Hooton Pagnell Renewable Park, a proposed solar-plus-storage development near Doncaster. If approved, the project will deliver a 49.9MW solar PV power plant combined with a 30MW battery energy storage system (BESS); the public consultation period for this project is open until 14 July and BSR plans to submit a planning application in late August of this year.
A decision on if planning permission should be granted is expected in the latter end of 2026; if approved, construction is expected to commence in 2034.
However, arguably the most significant project in BSR’s current pipeline is the Little Crow solar-plus-storage project, which it acquired from IRNG in March of this year. The project, located in Lincolnshire, will feature a 150MWp solar installation plus a 60MW BESS, and is designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) owing to the size of the solar portion of the development.
The Little Crow Project was awarded planning consent by the Planning Inspectorate in 2022 and also successfully secured a contract for difference (CfD) in the autumn 2024 auction round, allocation round 6 (AR6). The project is the largest in BSR’s portfolio of over 700MWp, and BSR will build and operate it; no date for the start or end of construction has been revealed by the developers as yet.
