Plans for the Beacon Fen Energy Park near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, have been revised following an early consultation.
The project will not include Beacon Fen South, which has been removed from the park because the site’s relationship with the proposed Anglian Water Lincolnshire reservoir could have led to planning delays.
The site will continue with just Beacon Fen North, which will now just be referred to as Beacon Fen Energy Park. A spokesperson for the park said: “It will still be over 50MW and therefore fall under the Development Consent Order (DCO) planning process”.
The park is being developed by energy company Low Carbon, and will connect to the nearby Bicker Fen substation.
James Hartley-Bond, director at Low Carbon, said: “Following the initial early (non-statutory) consultation and the community and stakeholder feedback received, we are withdrawing Beacon Fen South from our DCO application and will be progressing with solar and battery storage development at Beacon Fen North only.”
Plans have been unveiled for a solar farm capable of powering up to 190,000 homes in Lincolnshire.
— Projex Solutions (@ProjexSolLtd) April 4, 2023
Developer Low Carbon wants to build the farm, known as the Beacon Fen Energy Park, near Sleaford, between Heckington and Helpringham. pic.twitter.com/cTZkE0w8oT
“Renewable energy is urgently needed to fully decarbonise the UK’s electricity system by 2035 and we believe Beacon Fen Energy Park will contribute significantly to this need since it could be developed as soon as 2029. Proceeding with Beacon Fen South would have put this delivery at risk. We felt it is important to communicate this decision in a timely manner to provide clarity to communities in the vicinity of the proposed reservoir,” Hartley-Bond added.
The development of Beacon Fen Energy Park was announced in March this year, and the site’s management said more than 200 people engaged with an early (non-statutory) consultation held in May and June.
Concerns were raised about how the energy park could work with another proposed nationally significant infrastructure project: a proposed by Anglian Water reservoir on the same land identified for Beacon Fen South. The park could commence construction in 2026, but because of reservoir project, its DCO application would not be determined by that date.
Further information about the revisions to the project will be circulated locally in a newsletter in August. There will be a more detailed statutory consultation in winter 2023/24.
