A key part of the development is a £4 million community fund that will see £50,000 allocated per year across 40 years, with £250,000 to be made available at the start of construction. Exagen stated that this could be applied to supporting local groups, community capital projects or skills and training, depending on local need.
Biodiversity measures will also be incorporated into the project, which covers 19 acres. Exagen confirmed this will include and extension of the Normanton Millennium Wood via a new permissive path open to the public in addition to wildflower meadows. This will enable beekeeping, new hedgerow and tree planting.
In total, the project will deliver a more than 44% net gain for biodiversity habitat units, compared with the existing baseline habitats.
Commenting on this aspect of the project, Littman stated that Exagen had been working with local stakeholders to achieve a project that is “unobtrusive and balances national needs with local benefits”.
Solar Power Portal’s publisher Solar Media will host the 9th annual Energy Storage Summit EU in London, 20-21 February 2024. This year it is moving to a larger venue, bringing together Europe’s leading investors, policymakers, developers, utilities, energy buyers and service providers all in one place. Visit the official site for more info.
