Planning for Dengie Solar Park was originally submitted in April 2023 but was refused by Maldon District Council. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Maldon District Council has granted planning permission to British Solar Renewables (BSR) for a new solar project in Essex. BSR has so far developed over 700MW of solar PV across 57 projects.
Dengie Solar Park, in Essex, will generate 19MW of renewable electricity. Planning for the park was originally submitted in April 2023 but was refused by Maldon District Council due to flood risks on the proposed site and environmental concerns.
To mitigate the impact of the project, BSR altered and resubmitted the application in January 2024. It relocated the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) substation and Battery Storage Units and performed a Flood Risk Sequential Test.
With the application now approved, construction of the solar park is expected to begin early in 2025.
Carla Hardaker, development director at BSR Energy, said: “We are delighted to have received planning permission; Dengie Solar Park will aid Maldon District Council in addressing the Climate Emergency it declared in February 2021 and in achieving its aim of becoming a carbon neutral District by 2030.”
The news follows East Suffolk Council’s granting of planning permission for BSR’s Park Farm Solar Park last week, which will generate up to 21MWp of electricity. Town Farm Solar Park, for which the council granted permission in January 2024, has a similar capacity. Both projects include ecological enhancement measures: Town Farm Solar Park will deliver 178% net gain in habitat units and 52% net gain in Hedgerow Units.
Park Farm Solar Park will see a 106% net gain in Habitat Units and a 116% net gain in Hedgerow Units. BSR will also establish a community benefit fund, agreeing a partnership with Kelsale-Cum-Carlton Parish Council.
As a local authority, East Suffolk Council has stated it aims to “put the environment at the heart of everything we do”. Town Farm and Park Farm Solar Parks will play an important part in support of the council’s Climate Action Framework.
