Project Update

Introduction

A planning application was submitted to City of York Council on 5 December 2023 to seek approval for Poppleton Solar Farm. You can view the application here: https://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=S57EDCSJG8200

Feedback from public consultation

We held a public consultation on proposals for Poppleton Solar Farm between 4 and 28 July 2023. During this time the community was invited to give their feedback on the proposals. All of the feedback received has been reviewed.

The majority of respondents to the consultation were supportive of a solar farm in Poppleton, and the feedback also provided valuable insights on a number of topics. A summary of the most popular subjects raised and our response to them are set out below.

Landscaping and visual impacts

Comments were received on matters including how the site fencing would look, how views from local homes and paths would change, and the need for screening. We can confirm that the whole site will be screened through new planting or enhancements to existing hedges, including training the existing hedge on Common Croft Lane to grow taller, acknowledging that this is an important and well used route

Since the consultation we have lowered the maximum height of the solar panels across the site, from 3.5m to 3m in order to limit the potential visual and landscape impact of the solar farm. Along Common Croft Lane, the solar panels have been moved back from the hedge line by around 15m to reduce visual impact, and in the southern field the solar panels have been moved closer together to create a buffer of over 15m from Lords Lane and Broad Lane. Along the public right of way, the solar panels have been adjusted so they are between 15m and 30m from where the footpath passes the site.

A 2m-high green security fence will protect the site, set back from boundary hedges and trees. It will be sited as close to the solar panels as possible to minimise visual impact.

We have also now produced a Landscape and Visual Appraisal (LVA), which considers the potential impacts of the solar farm on views and local amenities. This has been submitted alongside our planning application.

Wildlife and the natural environment

Feedback during the consultation included requests for assurance that disruption to wildlife will be kept to a minimum and noted a desire for natural planting. An Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA) and Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) have been completed and submitted alongside the planning application.

Our PEA indicates that the proposals are not expected to have adverse effects on wildlife. We will aim to find a balance between agricultural use (e.g. sheep grazing under panel), and natural planting, including wildflower meadows.

Community benefits

We received many helpful suggestions of how we can contribute positively to the local community. We are looking at ways to help ensure Poppleton benefits from the development of the solar farm, in the form of a Community Benefit Fund, to support local projects should the application receive planning permission.

Construction and traffic management

Some respondents were concerned about how construction and construction traffic would impact Poppleton. During construction, there is likely to be more traffic due to materials being delivered to the site, but this will not travel through the village and, when the solar farm is operational, additional traffic would be limited to maintenance vehicles less than once a week. Proposed traffic management is detailed in our Construction Transport Management Plan, which has been submitted with our planning application.

Alternative sites and size

A number of respondents suggested alternative sites for a solar farm or installing solar panels on buildings and reducing the scale of the proposals. We have considered all of the alternatives put forward; however, New Farm is the only site in the area with a willing landowner not already in discussions with another solar developer, also identified as meeting the requirements to bring the solar farm forward.

Design updates

Following the public consultation and feedback received, we made the following changes to our proposals.

Visual impact

The proposed maximum height of solar panels has been lowered from 3.5m to 3m, in order to limit the potential visual and landscape impact of the Proposed Development

Along Common Croft Lane the solar panels have been moved back from the hedge line by around 15m. With the grass verge between the road and hedge (between 2m and 45m wide), the solar panels will be between 21m and 40m from the road. This will reduce the visual impact of the Proposed Development for all road users, including walkers and cyclists, as well as mitigate any potential distant views from the Conservation Areas in Poppleton.
The substation at the eastern edge of the southern field has been moved west by 550m, to the other side of a block of woodland, so that it is not visible from Common Croft Lane.
At the eastern side of the southern field and along the entire southern boundary of the southern field, the solar panels have been moved closer together to increase the gap between the panels and Lords Lane to the north and Broad Lane to the south, creating a buffer of over 15m (and generally over 20m) from the roadside. This will reduce the visibility of the solar farm to road users and increase the greenfield buffer along the hedge line, allowing more space for wildlife and species-rich grassland.
Where possible, the fence line has been moved as close to the solar panels as practicable in order to reduce visibility of the fence from Common Croft Lane and Public Right of Way (PRoW) footpath 10/1/10.
At PRoW Footpath 10/1/10 the solar panels have been adjusted to maximise the distance between them and the footpath. The solar panels will be between 15m and 30m from the footpath where it passes the site.
At the northern end of Lords Lane, a section of new hedge measuring up to 50m long is proposed, to provide additional visual screening for Woodhouse Farm, and general landscaping.

Environment/ landscaping

The red line boundary has been changed to allow for additional off-site planting, and to ensure that the hedges that are to be enhanced as part of the scheme’s landscaping are included within it.
The proposed gate (for operational access) at Common Croft Lane has been removed to protect hedges and trees.
Fence lines, internal access tracks and solar panels have been moved where necessary to protect trees and avoid root protection areas, including trees with bat roost potential and existing conifer woodland.
The site boundary at the western side of the northern field has been adjusted to follow the line of an historic hedgerow identified in aerial imagery from 1958. This will allow for restoration of this historic hedge.
Fence lines and internal access tracks have been moved, and some solar panels removed, following site-specific flood modelling, to avoid any development within high flood risk areas
The underground cable route running north between the two sites has been moved closer to Lords Lane, to better protect hedges and trees during construction.
The underground cable route between the solar farm and Main Street, Nether Poppleton, has been moved away from existing trees to protect them and avoid root protection areas.
To compensate for losses as a result of changes to panel layout elsewhere in the design, such as to landscape buffers, approximately 170m of hedge that was previously intended to be kept will be removed in the northern field. However, approximately 520m of new hedge will be planted in replacement of this, including an additional 140m of hedge parallel to Lords Lane that was not in the previous design, and 330m directly to the northwest (the line of the historic hedge).