Trinity Hall Solar Farm A proposed new solar farm development in Tilsworth, Central Bedfordshire Who are we?

European Energy is a leading developer, owner and operator Example: One of our latest projects involves the development of a 4MW of wind and solar farms globally. Our vision is to be a project built in the centre of Nissan’s test track at their manufacturing significant force in the global transition to a fossil-free facility in Sunderland. society.

Since incorporation in 2004 the company has constructed projects in 11 countries, including eight separate solar farms in and Wales.

The company has been established in in the UK renewable energy sector for over six years and continues to manage the solar farms it constructed here back in 2014/15 to this day.

Since the removal of Government-backed subsidies to support renewable energy projects, we have been busy innovating to optimize the cost of developing and building our projects. We have developed a rigorous site selection process in order to ensure that only the best projects are developed and such projects are able to be sensitively integrated into the wider landscape, encouraging the protection and enhancement of the environment.

We are a dynamic company of industry professionals who have a wealth of experience in energy and related disciplines within the UK. We work alongside experts in the fields of environment, planning and construction to ensure sites are identified, developed, constructed and operated in a wholly responsible way.

PAGE 2 What are we proposing? The proposals will consist of the following key elements:

• Approximately 40,000 solar PV panels mounted on metal frames aligned Trinity Hall Solar Farm is a proposed new solar farm on land north to south, which will rotate slowly on a horizontal axis throughout the located north of Stanbridge Road, Tilsworth, Leighton day to track the sun’s trajectory; Buzzard. • Up to six inverter / buildings distributed throughout the solar panel array field; • A single story Distribution Network Operator (DNO) substation and The proposals involve European Energy funding, developing, associated control building that will form the solar farm’s interface with the constructing and operating a solar photovoltaic (“PV”) power local electricity grid network; plant on 26 hectares at the above location. The installation • Temporary construction compound incorporating a laydown area for will have a peak power output of up to 18 MW (megawatts), delivery, a welfare facility for workers and site office; sufficient to produce enough clean, renewable energy to • 2m high security fence with CCTV cameras; and power the equivalent of 5,500 local homes annually. • Complimentary ancillary works including drainage swales, habitat enhancement and landscape planting.

Solar PV Array Grid Connection Trinity Hall solar farm will be one of the most The solar farm will be connected to an existing 33kV-rated technologically advanced solar farms ever built in the UK, that lies to the north of the site. The cable utilising innovative sun-tracking technology and solar route to the point of connection will be underground and as such panels that can generate power from both front and rear no additional infrastructure will be visible outwith the site surfaces (“bi-facial”). This advanced technology will boundary. increase the production of renewable energy from the solar farm by an estimated 20% annually when compared Access to a conventional ‘fixed-tilt’ solar farm on a like-for-like Further to pre-application discussions with the local Highways basis. team it is proposed that access to site will be taken from Stanbridge Road. The haulage route proposed will be from the A5 The outward appearance of a solar farm using this to the east. technology is very similar to a solar farm using a fixed-tilt mounting structure. The key difference is that in this Timings instance the panel rows would be aligned north-to-south rather than east-to-west and the solar panels would A solar farm of this scale would take three to four months to rotate slowly on a horizontal axis over the course of the construct. The exact schedule would be dictated by when the local day, facing east in the morning and west in the evening. DNO can connect the scheme to the grid network. Most likely this would take place in 2022.

PAGE 3 Location of proposed Development

The project will be The Development site is situated to the north of the village temporary and of Tilsworth in Central Bedfordshire and measures completely reversible, approximately 26.4 hectares in area. with limited waste produced and almost It comprises flat, gently sloping arable fields which are all elements being currently utilised for growing maize, which is then harvested recyclable! and fed into the landowner’s onsite Anaerobic Digestion process to create biogas.

The site was selected for the following reasons:

• It lies within very close proximity to a viable grid connection point. This is one of the few areas in the county where capacity on the local electricity network exists to allow a solar farm of this size to connect and export its power. • It is well contained by existing and proposed screening in the form of hedgerows and mature trees along the field boundaries; • Its topography is flat or gently sloping which is highly conducive to the use of the proposed sun-tracking technology, intended to maximize renewable energy production from the solar farm. • It is classified as Grade 3b agricultural land and therefore does not constitute best and most versatile land. • It displays an excellent solar resource for the UK meaning a solar farm located here would produce a proportionally greater amount of renewable energy than solar farms of the same size and design located further north. • The full extent of the site falls within an area denoted by Central Bedfordshire Council as having “low sensitivity” to solar development in their guidance note “Solar Farm Development in Central Bedfordshire”. ©Google Earth PAGE 4 Hedgerow retained Site Design & Additional Plans The existing trees and hedgerows in and around the site will be retained and allowed to grow to Enhancement of Public Right of Ways Plan View provide enhanced, natural The route of Footpath FP12 that currently screening. runs through the Site would remain unchanged meaning public access and exit Livestock grazing points to the field would also stay the The solar farm is being designed to same. accommodate the grazing of sheep. This will allow for dual-use of the We are proposing to enhance FP12 and land – agricultural and the production strengthen the local PROW network by: of locally generated energy. • Widening FP12 to 4m, providing a green corridor through the solar farm with New planting improved accessibility; New native tree and hedgerow planting is • Connecting FP12 with FP10 that lies to planned along the south eastern boundary of the south, thus providing shorter the site. The new planting will provide valuable circular walks to the east of Stanbridge habitats for local wildlife and improve the and north of Tilsworth; screening of the site. • Incorporating informational and educational signage on the solar farm and its biodiversity enhancement Species–rich grass measures. Species-rich grass will be sown throughout the site and in the Viewing Platform undeveloped area to its south. A low-rise, wooden viewing platform is proposed at the highest point on the site Elevation View that would maximize the educational and recreational benefits of the development. As well as providing local views across the solar farm to the north Habitat / Amenity Enhancement Area it would also create expansive views of The south west corner of the Site will be W E the Dunstable Downs to the south. dedicated to providing local wildlife with improved habitat areas. This is anticipated to be achieved through the planting of wildflower meadows and orchards.

PAGE 5 The Need for Renewable Energy

Solar power can play a significant role in the progression towards the UK’s target of Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050. What is Climate Change?

Following the Government’s declaration of an “Environment and Climate Change is a result of rising levels of Climate Emergency” in May 2019, the Committee on Climate greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and Change (CCC) advised that to meet ‘Net Zero’ targets, the UK will methane trapping the sun’s energy in the atmosphere and causing the planet to heat up – require substantial amounts of new, low carbon power sources to resulting in the greenhouse effect. be built before 2050, up to four times that of today’s levels. As the climate changes, the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and floods in Why has the UK committed to this target? the UK, is increasing. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) determined a long-term objective to lessen greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Subsequently, the was implemented in 1997. National governments who signed up to the Kyoto Protocol are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

The 2016 Paris Climate Agreement marked the latest step in the development of the UN regime on climate change. Its central objective is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C. The UK formally ratified the agreement in December 2016, signalling major commitment to being part of a global effort to curb the effects of climate change.

The net-zero target set in June 2019 details the UK’s obligations under the Paris Agreement and reaffirms the urgent need for action at a local and national level.

PAGE 6 Environmental and Planning Considerations

We have worked alongside experts in the fields of Environment, Planning and Construction to design a solar farm that will fit sensitively in the surrounding landscape. During the development process our various consultants have liaised with Central Bedfordshire Council to agree survey requirements prior to submitting the proposed application for planning permission. A pre-application advice meeting with representatives of Central Bedfordshire Council was held in Q4 2019.

The planning application which we intend to submit will include a number of detailed documents to ensure any impact upon the environment, landscape, heritage and local residents is appropriately assessed. These documents will include:

• Planning Statement Ecology Flood Risk • Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey • The site does not lie within any statutory • The site lies completely in Flood Zone 1 (less than 1 in • Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) environmental designated sites. 1000 annual probability of flooding). • • The proposed development will not increase the flood • Great Crested Newt (GCN) Survey Report The site currently comprises arable land of low ecological value. risk of the area. • Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) • With the implementation of the BMP, it is Noise • Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) anticipated that the proposed development will • Solar panels do not generate noise and there are a • Landscape and Ecology Management Plan (LEMP) result in net beneficial gain for biodiversity. limited number of noise sensitive receptors in the Landscape surrounding area. • Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment • Central Bedfordshire Council has denoted Leighton Traffic • Flood Risk Assessment Buzzard rural-urban fringe as having a low sensitivity • Increased traffic volumes will be generated during the to solar development in their guidance note “Solar construction and decommissioning phases, however overall • Drainage Impact Assessment Farm Development in Central Bedfordshire”. volume of traffic generated by a solar farm is low. • Noise Impact Assessment • The site will be well contained by existing and Glint and Glare • Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) proposed screening in the form of hedgerows and • Effects of glint and glare on residential receptors is trees along the boundaries anticipated to be negligible. • Glint and Glare Assessment Cultural Heritage and Archaeology • Public roads within the vicinity of the site appear to • No archaeological features of significance were be well screened but will be assessed, nevertheless. identified via a site survey and desktop study and • No railway lines within the vicinity of the site. no signs of the features described in the Historic • Luton Airport is located 15km south, however due to Environment Record (HER) were discernible at the southern direction and distance, no significant level. effects are anticipated. • While there are some Listed Buildings in the surrounding area, visual impacts are not considered likely to be significant.

PAGE 7 Renewable Energy Carbon Emissions The solar farm will generate sufficient Biodiversity clean, renewable electricity to power • CO2 emissions saving of 5,500 local homes. approximately 9,000 tonnes The quality of existing habitats will be enhanced to per year can be expected. increase the potential for supporting wildlife. • Contributes towards reductions in harmful A Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) has been emissions and towards Benefits developed for the site to significantly increase national and local climate ecological benefits and will involve: change targets of the • Planting of new native hedgerows and trees • Sowing the land with species-rich grass and Development wildflower mix Agriculture • A sheep grazing regime; and • The implementation of bird boxes, bat boxes and hibernaculum. • The site will retain agricultural usage through livestock grazing. Community This dual use of land promotes sustainable land use. • We believe that the communities that host our projects should share in the benefits. Beyond • No or fertilizers will be provision of the nature-led benefits associated with the Development we will provide economic used on site during operation. benefits through the establishment of a Community Fund. We will work with the local community to • The site will be leased from a identify the priorities for the fund. local landowner, providing • The development will incorporate a large area outwith the solar farm fence to be designated for diversification and a long-term habitat and amenity enchantments. The area will be open for recreational purposes to the public via revenue stream for his farm. the proposed extension to Footpath 12 and connection with Footpath 10. • The Stanbridge and Tilsworth Green Infrastructure Plan (GIP) noted an aspiration to improve Right of Way access between the two parishes. The upgrading and connection of two currently separate Decommissioning and Restoration footpaths would provide a new circular route for local walkers, east of Stanbridge and north of Tilsworth. • The proposed viewing platform to be constructed within the enhancement area will provide views • Solar farms are temporary in nature and looking over the entirety of the solar farm to the north and south over Dunstable Downs and the reversible. Additionally they produce no adjacent clay valleys. It is hoped that such a feature alongside the proposed ecological measures waste during operation. would encourage greater visits to the countryside. • Up to 90% of solar panels can be recycled • We intend to erect informational signage around the development and would be keen to hear from using current recycling processes. local schools who may be interested in maximising the educational benefit from it.

PAGE 8 Get in Touch: [email protected]