New Solar Farm Proposed For Wrexham

Proposals to create a solar farm that could power over a thousand homes in Wrexham have been submitted.

In an application submitted to Wrexham Council it is proposed a a 5MW solar farm, which would be capable of generating enough power for 1,300 homes, is developed on land to the west of Delph Road in Penycae.

Currently the land is used for sheep grazing, however the new site will provide a dual productive function that would allow for sheep grazing to continue.

Within the application’s Design and Access Statement it is noted: “The proposed solar farm will not have any significant adverse impact on landscape, ecology or hydrology. It is envisaged that the proposal will:

– integrate into the surrounding landscape through the intervening topography, existing landscape features; proposed new planting and low profile nature of the site;
– provide a net gain of biodiversity through a number of appropriate mitigation and sensitive design measures, and a wide range of enhancement measures set out in the biodiversity management plan;
– manage the disposal of surface water runoff through a sustainable drainage strategy, involving implementation of swales.

Lightsource Renewable Energy Ltd (Lightsource), the company behind the application states that the development will: “Avoid 2200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions associated with electricity generation each year, thus reducing the carbon footprint of Cefn and Pen-y-Cae. This is the equivalent of 500 cars off the road.”

The company adds: “The solar farm will be a temporary, medium term, use of the site. At the end of its operational life (approximately 30 to 35 years), all equipment associated with the solar farm will be removed from the site, and minor remediation works undertaken to backfill any excavated areas.”

Pictured above – Google Maps