It is Aura Power's second utility-scale solar farm to be approved this year, following its Litchardon Cross site near Barnstaple (pictured) being approved in April. Image: Aura Power.
Bristol-based Aura Power has been granted planning permission for a 30MW solar farm at Bishampton, near Pershore, Worcestershire.
The farm will help with Wychavon’s “commendable efforts to become Intelligently Green” said Chris Featonby, UK development manager at Aura Power, with Wychavon District Council working to treble the amount of renewable electricity in the district by 2030.
“During the consultation process we spent a great deal of time engaging with the local community and made substantial revisions to our plans in response to their concerns. Thank you to the council officers, parish and district councillors and statutory consultees for the hard work they put into considering our application. We understand that some people don’t like to see change in the countryside, but if we don’t respond to the Climate Emergency with projects like this that will make a genuine difference, the countryside will be changed forever.”
As part of the development, Aura is setting up a community benefit fund of £350/MW, which will be index-linked per year for the lifetime of the site. It estimates that this could be up to £10,500 a year for 35 years, with £1,000 of what is generated to be set aside for educational sessions.
The company will begin constructing the Bishampton solar farm no earlier than spring 2022 and expects it to take about three months.
It is Aura Power’s second large-scale solar project to be consented recently, after its 49.9MW farm located at Litchardon Cross near Barnstaple was approved in April.