Planning consultancy
Expert development and town planning services including portfolio assessment, site identification, yield advice, masterplanning, approvals and more.
Energy transition
Botley West Solar Farm
Botley West Solar Farm is a proposed development in the west of Oxfordshire. If approved, the development will be one of the UK’s largest solar farms, delivering 840 Megawatts (MW) of clean energy – enough to power approximately 330,000 homes.
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Key details
Project name
Botley West Solar Farm
Client
Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP)
Location
West Oxfordshire, Cherwell, and Vale of White Horse Districts
Services provided:
- Planning
- Environmental and land quality assessments
- Ecology
- Biodiversity Net Gain
- Heritage
- Hydrology
- Air quality
- Human health impacts
- Glint and glare
Challenge
Botley West Solar Farm is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). Project approval will be determined by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, following examination and recommendations by the Planning Inspectorate, and engagement and consultation with the host authorities, local stakeholders, communities, and statutory bodies.
The location of the site, much of which is on land owned by Blenheim Estate, and the impact upon the Oxford Green Belt, present significant complexities for the design and planning phases of the project. The design work has progressed during 2023, following an initial informal round of consultation at the end of 2022.
Solution
We are currently guiding PVDP in the design process, helping to integrate the project into the existing landscape, protecting and enhancing established assets, including providing benefits for ecology, public access, community use, water management, and landscape character.
We are providing an assessment and analysis of the potential benefits and impacts of the proposals on the local environment, community, and economy. Our teams are providing guidance on the scheme design and recommendations for landscape and habitat management, surface water and flood risk, and community benefits. The scheme will support local food-growing groups, improved footpaths, and cycle networks, and the potential for sheep grazing and will secure significant biodiversity net gain – expected to be over 80%.
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