British Solar Renewables has been granted planning permission by Wiltshire Council to build a 5.85MW solar farm on land adjacent to a sewage treatment works and Westbury Business Park.
The proposed development had been in planning permission for over a year, after the company initially registered a planning application for the site back in November 2012. The developer reports that the site was only recommended by the council’s planning officer after considerable investment in investigative works that included bat surveys and archaeology works.
Once completed, the 12.5 hectare site will house around 23,400 solar modules which are anticipated to generate enough electricity to power 1,740 typical UK homes every year.
Giles Frampton, business development manager, British Solar Renewables, told Solar Power Portal that the site was perfectly situated for a solar farm, he said: “Located next to a sewage treatment plant and an industrial park, the former quarry and landfill site has been given a new lease of life.
“The site has good light levels and will be used for grazing sheep once the meadows have been restored. With extensive additional planting to create a wildlife corridor, the site will become a haven for insects, birds, bees and a host of other creatures.”