Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we need solar farms?
Solar farms contribute to Net Zero carbon emission targets, enable more energy to be generated domestically improving security of supply, and are the cheapest form of new electricity generation1, alongside other renewable technologies. This makes solar farms, like Leaford, not just good for the environment but also for the consumer.Why have you chosen this site?
The site has been chosen as it has good solar irradiation levels, lies outside of any statutory environmental, archaeological and landscape designations with a viable grid connection.
How much electricity would the solar farm produce?
Leaford Solar Farm would be capable of generating up to 30MW of clean, low-cost electricity. That's enough to power around 8000 homes2.
What stage is the project at?
We have now submitted the planning application to Stafford Borough Council.
Feedback from the local community and stakeholders has helped to shape the solar farm design and a number of design changes were made from the preliminary design. These changes included:
- A reduction in the size of the site by nearly 40 acres from c. 208 acres to c. 170 acres.
- Removal of solar infrastructure from the fields to the southwest and southeast, reducing potential visibility from Fulford village and from Saverley Green Road.
- Additional planting on the western boundary to reduce potential visibility.
- A minimum setback of 7.5m from the Public Rights of Way (a larger setback has been achieved in some areas).
- Repositioning of the site entrance to prevent any tree loss.
All of the planning documents can be found on our website here and can also be viewed on Stafford Borough Council’s website at https://www12.staffordbc.gov.uk/online-applications/. The case reference number is 24/38719/FUL and should be included in all correspondence.
What benefits will the project deliver?
As we transition to a net-zero future, reducing the impacts of climate change both locally and globally, RES' priority is to deliver clean, green electricity at the lowest cost for consumers. Analysis on electricity generation costs published by DESNZ shows that large-scale solar, alongside other renewable technologies, are now the cheapest forms of electricity generation. This makes developments like Leaford Solar Farm not just good for the environment but also for the consumer.
Leaford Solar Farm has significant potential to enhance biodiversity, hosting a range of habitats including wildflower meadows, hedgerows and nectar-rich areas for pollinators. A typical solar farm uses around just 5% of the total site area with the rest of the land remaining undisturbed, creating significant opportunities to provide a range of ecological benefits.
RES is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, local contractors and employees are used in all aspects of solar farm development. The major opportunities arise during the construction phase when suitably qualified local firms are often invited to bid for different aspects of construction. We encourage our contractors to source construction materials locally (i.e. within the county) and to use local transport and plant hire companies where possible, in addition to local services and amenities.
We continue to consult on meaningful local benefits which could be delivered by the solar farm, if it is consented. From feedback received to date from the local community and stakeholders, a road safety initiative would be one such initiative which could be delivered. We look forward to continuing further discussion regarding this and also welcome feedback on other suggestions and ideas.
Would construction of the solar farm generate lots of traffic?
If the solar farm is consented, during the construction period, there will be short periods where there will be peak traffic flow for equipment delivery. During the construction period, we estimate there will be an average daily maximum of 10 HGV vehicles (20 movements). Much of the time, traffic will be limited to personnel getting to and from site.
We have consulted with the Highways department, the emergency services, the local community and other relevant bodies to produce a Transport Statement (TP) to support any planning application. The TP outlines the overall framework for managing the safe movement of construction and delivery traffic as well as itemising the expected number of traffic movements and timing restrictions.
The traffic movements will be limited to avoid morning and evening peak times, where possible. There will also be a dedicated Community Liaison Officer to engage with local residents throughout the construction and operational phases.
Do solar farms pose a risk to food security?
Solar farms do not pose a threat to food security. One of the biggest risks to food security is the changing climate. This is clear from reports on how the 2022 heatwave in the UK affected fruit and vegetable harvests3.
According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), climate change could reduce the UK’s stock of high-grade agricultural land by nearly three-quarters by 20504.
Leaford Solar Farm will help towards tackling climate change and furthermore, is specifically designed to be dual purpose, enabling continued agricultural use, in the form of sheep grazing, and renewable generation.
Around 95% of the land has been classified as not being Best and Most Versatile.
Shouldn't solar be put onto roofs?
Rooftop solar has an important part to playing in meeting net zero targets. Analysis from the Climate Change Committee and other independent bodies shows that the UK will need to deploy at least 40GW of solar by 2030 if it is to achieve net zero by 2050.
Solar Energy UK estimate that around 37% (15GW) of this could be provided by residential and commercial rooftop solar, with the remaining 63% (25GW) coming from large scale ground mounted solar farms.
How tall will the solar panels be?
The lowest point of the solar panels is approximately 0.8m above ground, designed to allow sheep to graze underneath the arrays, and the maximum total structure height will be approximately 3.5m.
Will the solar farm be very visible?
The site for the Leaford Solar Farm already benefits from existing trees and hedgerow minimising potential visibility. We have also proposed infill and new planting which, as well as further reducing potential visibility, would provide wildlife corridors and vital resources for mammals, birds, and insect species.
Through the iterative design process, we have removed solar infrastructure from the fields to the southwest and southeast, and have proposed additional planting on the western boundary to further reduce potential visibility.
A Landscape and Ecology Management Plan can be found here which shows the location of proposed new native species hedgerow and other measures proposed to reduce potential visibility and provide a biodiversity net gain.
Will the solar farm impact ecology on site?
The site of the proposed Leaford Solar Farm lies outside of any ecological designations and a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal is being undertaken to ensure any potential impact on the local ecology is properly assessed.
The design of the solar farm will include measures to prevent potential impacts such as a 5m buffer from all hedgerow and drainage ditches and a 10m buffer from all woodland.
Perimeter fencing for the solar farm would be in the form of deer fencing, with mammal gates to allow the free movement of small mammals.
The Leaford Solar Farm proposal would deliver a biodiversity net gain for the site through a range of measures including native planting, wildflower areas and the installation of bird and bat boxes.
Will the solar farm affect the footpaths which cross the site?
RES understands the importance of the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) to the local community.
The design of the solar farm includes a minimum setback of 7.5m applied from all PRoW, with larger setback distances achieved in some areas.
Landscape planting has also been proposed to protect the amenity value of existing PRoW both on and near to the site.
All inverters and potential energy storage units have been positioned specifically away from ProW to further protect the ProW amenity value.
Would Leaford Solar Farm affect Green Belt land?
There will be no long-term loss or reclassification of Green Belt land as a result of the development which is temporary in nature, and the site can be returned to agricultural use at the end of the solar project.
Where a solar farm is installed on land which has been intensively farmed, it enables the ground underneath to recover, while providing income for the farming business. Solar farms help regenerate soil quality and can help to ensure the continued availability of high-quality agricultural acreage for future generations.
A Green Belt Assessment has been undertaken and accompanies the planning application.
What is energy storage?
Our energy system is in a transitionary period. Ageing infrastructure is being replaced and greater flexibility introduced into our networks via technological advances, such as energy storage, to manage the increasingly complex supply and demand needs of the 21st Century.
Energy storage enables electricity to be stored and released back to the grid network when it is most needed.
What happens next?
Now that the application has been validated, a statutory consultation period will be advertised and held by Stafford Borough Council to enable the public, as well as statutory consultees, to submit their comments on the proposal. These comments will then be assessed against the proposal and a determination made in due course.
1 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6556027d046ed400148b99fe/electricity-generation-costs-2023.pdf
2 The homes equivalent figure has been calculated by taking the predicted annual electricity generation of the site (based on RES assessments Leaford has a predicted capacity factor of 11.2% and dividing this by the annual average electricity figures from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) showing that the annual UK average domestic household consumption is 3,509 kWh (December 2022).
3 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/01/uk-farmers-count-cost-as-heatwave-kills-fruit-and-vegetable-crops.
4 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021-theme-2-uk-food-supply-sources#united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021-theme2-indicator-2-1-15