Planning application for 15MW solar park, Bedford

Implementation

Located at Glebe Farm near Bedford, the park covers an area of 27 hectares and generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 3,705 homes, almost 6% of the homes in Bedford Borough Council.The scheme increases the capacity of renewables in Bedfordshire by nearly 25% and results in a 6,797 kg/year offset reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

The application conformed with local and national policy on renewables and followed a comprehensive public consultation which included a series of public exhibitions in the locality. The application received planning consent in June 2013.

Designed with sustainability at its core, the solar park delivers an appropriate balance between maximising the scale of the scheme, maintaining farming activities and protecting environmental assets. The ultimate goal of the project was to increase the energy output and minimise the impact on the environment at the same time.