Major solar farm plan for land on Oswaldtwistle Moor - here's what we know
Plans for a major new solar farm have been unveiled in Oswaldtwistle.
Blue Stone Renewable V (Abei Energy Ltd) are seeking permission for the development - as well as access improvements, ecological enhancements and landscaping - on land south of Ramsclough Farm, Haslingden Old Road.
They want permission to use the land for that purpose for a ‘temporary period’ of 40 years.
The site, on Oswaldtwistle Moor, is approximately 34 ha of predominantly agricultural land next to the The Hyndburn Wind Farm, which comprises of 12 turbines.
The Proposed Development would have an electricity production capacity of approximately 26.4 megawatts of alternating current (MWac) of electricity at inverter level. A planning statement says: “The project aims to generate clean, renewable electricity, supporting the decarbonisation of the UK's energy system while contributing to local grid resilience and energy security.
“This is for a temporary period of 40 years, after which the site will be restored back to solely agricultural use. The restoration process will ensure that the land is returned, as a minimum, to the same quality as the pre-development baseline.”
How will it look?
The Proposed Development will comprise numerous PV cells located in rows (or arrays/tables). The PV array will be laid out in rows on an east-west configuration across the site angled at approximately 20 degrees to the horizontal and orientated south, towards the sun.
All panels will be mounted on frames and have a maximum height of 3.66 m above ground level; the lowest part of the panel will be circa 1m above ground level to allow for habitat management by sheep grazing below the panels.
They will be supported on metal poles of around 20cm diameter, that are driven into the ground without the need for concrete foundations, to a depth of approximately 1-1.5m.
As well as the panels, the proposed development will also include a range of ancillary equipment, such as 24 inverters, a 33kV switching station and underground cables. The construction phase is expected to last approximately 10 months.
Security
The solar PV array and associated infrastructure will be enclosed by 2 m high deer proof security fencing and CCTV.
Access
The site will be accessed via two separate accesses from Haslingden Road (B6236) located to the north. The existing access to the western end of the site will be improved and a new access would be constructed approximately 110m west of the junction with Broadfield Road.
Need
A planning statement remarks that Hyndburn Borough Council declared a climate emergency in September 2019 and say “This declaration demonstrates the Council’s awareness of the global climate emergency as well as their commitment to acting locally to contribute to tackling climate change”.
A decision will be made in coming weeks.
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