Eastfields Farm Solar Development

JBM Solar are proposing to develop a solar farm at Eastfields Farm, near Deppers Bridge.

The project will generate enough renewable energy to power over 7,500 homes in addition to providing substantial ecological enhancements to the site, including the installation of bee hives, bird boxes and the creation of a 5 acre wildflower meadow.

Update
The consultation has now ended. We thank everyone for their support for the scheme.

Established in 2012, the JBM Solar team has a proven track record of developing solar farms in the UK and Ireland, with over 750MW consented.

JBM prides itself on understanding the views of local residents and constituents in order to improve the proposals based on local knowledge and input. Furthermore, a focus is placed on ensuring the biodiversity on-site is preserved, alongside the implementation of considerable environmental and ecological enhancements, resulting in a net gain of over 30% to be achieved.

Overall, the site comprises an area of approximately 150 acres, which will contain the solar PV panels, battery storage equipment, ancillary infrastructure, areas for landscape planting, ecological enhancements and biodiversity improvement, and internal access tracks. The development will generate enough electricity for 7,500 houses per annum and save 205,535 tonnes of CO2. JBM have plans to create over 1 km of hedgerow enhancement as well as the creation of over 5 acres of wild-flower meadow. Other features such as insect hotels, log piles, bird boxes and shelters will also be implemented.

Key points

National Benefits

Contribute to UK and international targets for net carbon neutrality.

Energy storage supports the integration of more renewables and supports the drive to decarbonisation.

CO2 savings of over 205,535 tonnes will be achieved as a result of the project, with enough energy generated to power over 7,500 UK homes.

Local Benefits

Community benefit of a 50kW solar install for community
buildings.

Creation of 50 construction jobs with a capital investment of approx £20m.

Preservation and improvement of the footpath to the west of the site, with wildflowers and new hedgerow planted around the track.

5 acres of wildflower meadow created around the site to preserve local populations of bees and butterflies.

Environmental

All trees, hedges and ditches will be preserved, in addition to the introduction of 1km of new hedgerow and 5 acres of new wildflower meadow.

Plans to install 2-4 bee hives on site in collaboration with the Good Bee Co to raise awareness about bees and potentially offer educational programmes to local schools/groups, with the ability to interact with the hives/meadows.

Introduction of log-piles, bird boxes and insect hotels across the site culminating in a susbtantial 30% net gain to biodiversity.