Solar Farm Capable of Powering 2000 Homes Proposed For Wrexham

An application to develop a solar farm capable of powering thousands of homes has been submitted to Wrexham Council. 

Proposals to create a 10MW solar farm across agricultural land on the west and north of Borras Hall, Wrexham have been lodged by Earthworm Energy Ltd. If the application is approved, the solar farm could generate enough power for around 2,000 homes.

Details about the use of solar power are provided in the planning application, stating: “Producing energy through the use of Photovoltaic (PV) arrays is considered to be one of the most sustainable forms of energy production currently available. This is because they emit no pollution, produce no greenhouse gasses and use no finite fossil-fuel resources.

“Additionally given the minimal maintenance required, lack of noise emission and low height of the arrays, the system causes no disturbance to its surroundings.”

The proposed site covers a total of 16.29ha and consists of a former sand and gravel quarry, which has been restored to agricultural land and divided into three parcels by ‘newly planted hedgerows’. Where possible the trees and hedgerows will be retained as part of the development.

As with previous solar farm applications for the area the development will not take up all the proposed agricultural space, with remainder used for sheep grazing. It is anticipated that once constructed the site will generate renewable energy for the next 25 years.

Along with the development of a solar farm, planning approval is also sought for metering and inverter kiosks, security cameras, fencing, gates and also a temporary construction compound and access track.

Within the application’s Design and Access Statement it notes: “The Welsh Government’s Planning Policy clearly advocates the need for and benefits of renewable energy, including small scale schemes with low energy output.

“The proposed development seeks to meet this demand by providing clean, renewable energy to the national grid through the use of solar panels.”

The application is one of several to have been submitted in recent months, with permission recently granted to develop a solar farm on land west of Delph Farm in Penycae. More recently Wrexham’s first solar farm in Legacy celebrated its official opening.

The proposals are expected to go before Wrexham’s Planning Committee at a later date.