Maldon District Council has granted planning permission to British Solar Renewables (BSR) for a new solar project in Essex. BSR has developed more than 700 MW of solar PV across 57 projects to date.
Dengie Solar Park, in Essex, will generate 19MW of renewable electricity. Planning for the park was originally submitted in April 2023, but was refused by Maldon District Council due to flooding risks at the proposed site and environmental concerns.
To mitigate the impact of the project, BSR amended and resubmitted the application in January 2024. The Distribution System Operator (DNO) substation and battery storage units have been relocated and a sequential flood risk test conducted.
Now that the application has been approved, construction of the solar park is expected to start in early 2025.
Carla Hardaker, development director at BSR Energy, said: “We are delighted to have received planning permission; Dengie Solar Park will help Maldon District Council tackle the climate emergency it declared in February 2021 and achieve its target of becoming a carbon neutral district by 2030.”
The news follows the granting of planning permission by East Suffolk Council last week for BSR’s Park Farm Solar Park, which will generate up to 21 MWp of electricity. Town Farm Solar Park, for which the municipality granted permission in January 2024, has a comparable capacity. Both projects include ecological improvement measures: Town Farm Solar Park will deliver a net gain of 178% in habitat units and 52% net gain in Hedgerow units.
Park Farm Solar Park will see a 106% net gain in Habitat units and a 116% net gain in Hedgerow units. BSR will also establish a community benefits fund, partnering with Kelsale-Cum-Carlton Parish Council.
As a local authority, East Suffolk Council has stated that it aims to “put the environment at the heart of everything we do”. Town Farm and Park Farm solar farms will play an important role in supporting the council’s Climate Action Framework.
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