Pell Frischmann Helps Coventry Power into the Future
A planning application for a major new Solar Farm in the West Midlands has recently been submitted. Pell Frischmann co-ordinated the engineering and environmental studies for the project for Coventry City Council’s Lentons Lane Solar Farm.
The proposed solar farm will have a maximum generating capacity of 30MW, equivalent to the power required for 7,650 houses per year. At approximately 103 acres, the site is to be located on agricultural fields that are owned by the Council and straddle the Council’s boundary with Rugby Borough Council.
The use of solar power is growing across the UK and the Council has already used roof-mounted solar panels across the city to create a generation capacity of 2MW. The proposed development is a natural development from these smaller-scale power generation into a site that can generate significant contributions to carbon-free electrical generation in the area and make a meaningful contribution to combatting climate change in the area.
Pell Frischmann undertook the site design, transport planning, ground contamination, flood risk assessment and drainage strategy work for the site as well as co-ordinating the other disciplines. We were supported by Young Planning and Energy Consenting, LUC, TNEI and FGP in preparing the planning submission, ecology, landscape and visual assessment, glint/glare and agricultural land value assessments.
Project Director Gordon Buchan said:
“We are delighted to have assisted the Council with this exciting project to help develop sustainable and clean energy for Coventry residents. The project has required a wide range of assessments and it has been great working with the Council and our partners to help deliver this important application. We look forward to hearing the planning determination later this year.”
A planning decision on the project is due in late Summer 2023. Construction of the development could commence in Spring 2024 allowing a connection to the electrical grid by Autumn 2024.