DWD is pleased to have secured planning permission on behalf of Low Carbon for the development of Bluebell Wood Solar Farm including battery storage on land southeast of Bradford Road, Rode, in the Somerset Council area (formerly Mendip District Council).
The approved solar farm will provide up to 49.9MW of solar energy capacity and 50MW of battery storage, Low Carbon’s largest battery consented under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to date. The Scheme is able to power over 16,000 homes per annum which is more than a third of the former Mendip District’s annual residential requirement and 6.6% of the newly formed area of Somerset Council’s annual residential requirement.
DWD led on the planning from the pre-application stage, including EIA Screening, all the way through to the application before being recommended for approval by the planning team ahead of the Somerset Planning Committee (East). Resolution to grant planning permission was made by the Somerset Planning Committee (East) on 11 July 2024.
In putting the planning application together and achieving approval, DWD helped coordinate the design of the scheme. Key considerations included protecting particular views through the Site and providing effective screening from the vantage points around the Site, having sufficient setbacks from heritage assets as well as negotiating appropriate solutions relating to site access and highways safety, flood risk, drainage, battery safety management, and ecology. Significant on-site biodiversity net gains of 50.57% habitat units, 19.25% hedgerow units and 17.15% river units will also be achieved by the proposals.
For more information, please contact Chloe Desgrand or Rob Booth.
