New solar farm inches closer to approval

Wiltshire Council is expected to make a decision on the solar farm by the end of January 2025

A solar farm with the potential to produce 10 megawatts of power - enough to power 5,500 homes a year - could be built on farmland.

The intended land east of Battens Farm would cover two agricultural fields between Yatton Keynell and Allington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire.

A planning application has now been submitted to Wiltshire Council by developer Noventum Power, following a consultation.

“The majority of comments" supported the principle of development and the need for renewable energy developments", a Noventum Power spokesperson said.

The intended site is across from a number of farm properties and cottages

The developer added that feedback from the community engagement was "very beneficial", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The application states: “The solar farm would be operational for up to 40 years.

"After the 40-year operation period, the solar farm would be decommissioned.

"It is expected the decommissioning period will take up to six months.

"After the infrastructure is removed the site will be reinstated back to the original state before construction."

The point of connection to export energy to the National Grid would be via an existing overhead line which runs from east to west and connects to the Yatton Keynell substation, located approximately 462m west of the fields.

The council is expected to make a decision by early next year.

What is climate change?

Climate change is the long-term shift in the Earth's average temperatures and weather conditions.

Between 2014 and 2023, the world was on average around 1.2C warmer than during the late 19th Century, the World Meteorological Organization says.

And 2024 is "virtually certain" to end up as the world's hottest year on record, according to the latest projections by the European climate service.