A map showing the proposed Lark Hill Solar Farm. Image: Green Switch Capital

Green Switch Capital has announced that it has been granted full planning permission for its 49.95MW Lark Hill Solar Farm in Essex.

Planning permission was granted by Rochford District Council for the development, which will be situated on 66 hectares of land near Canewdon, Essex. The project is expected to have an operational lifespan of 40 years, after which time the site will be restored to its previous state.

According to the planning application documents, sheep may be allowed to graze on the site, with the application specifying that “the lowest edge of the solar panels would be raised approximately 800mm above ground level to enable the area under the panels to be grazed by sheep.”. The plans also state that grazing sheep will be a key part of keeping the grass at a manageable level on site, alongside regular mowing.

Although the project’s planned capacity places it just outside the boundary for classification as a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP), planning documents also state that a decision was made by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to not call in the application to higher governmental powers, and thus leave the power to determine the approval for the application in the hands of the local authorities. This result is unlikely to be a surprise to many, as consultations are currently underway to raise the threshold for NSIP status above the current 50MW limit.

No date has been given for when construction will begin on site, but Green Switch notes in its application that construction will take around 32 weeks to complete once it begins. A Community Benefit Fund of at least £10,000 will be created to support the local Canewdon Parish Council.

Green Switch Capital, which is now part of Qair Group, already has a renewable energy pipeline of over 15GW, and the firms first projects are set to be commissioned in 2026.

“We are delighted to have received planning permission for Lark Hill Solar Farm” says Markus Wierenga, chief utive officer of Green Switch Capital. “This project marks another significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable energy solutions.”

A new wave of solar farms gaining approval

Many in the solar industry have been on the receiving end of welcome news as a wave of solar projects have recently been granted approval across the UK. Earlier this week, solar and battery developer Renewable Connections was granted full approval for its 22.5MW Old Hall Solar farm, located near Ragdale, Leicestershire.

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