The government has granted permission for the construction of Longfield Solar Farm, the largest-ever solar farm in the country.
Spanning approximately 380 hectares of farmland near Terling, the solar farm in Essex will have the capacity to power approximately 60,000 households.
The joint venture between EDF Renewables and Padero Solar, classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, will include a solar photovoltaic array generating station, battery storage facilities, and grid connection infrastructure, with a generating capacity of up to 500MW.
Documents, seen by Energy Live News, state: “The Secretary of State has considered the overall planning balance and, for the reasons set out in this decision letter, has concluded that the public benefits for the proposed development outweigh the harm identified, and that development consent should therefore be granted for the proposed development.”
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The UK already has enough solar power installed to power four million homes and this new development of Longfield, the UK’s largest capacity consented solar farm, will help ensure we fully harness the power of the sun and boost our energy security.
“With a capacity to power tens of thousands of homes, Longfield will help deliver cheaper energy for consumers and businesses and create long-term, high-quality jobs of the future.”
