Renewable energy developers ‘Low Carbon’ have started a public consultation into their emerging plans for a solar farm development, with battery storage, on 69 hectares of farmland adjacent to the A361, Bradford Road and Rode Hill to the east of Rode. The development would have the capacity to generate approximately 49.9 Megawatts (‘MW’) of renewable electricity, and store up to 50MW. A planning application is likely to follow later this year.

The developer’s consultation is now underway from 2 May to Thursday 25 May 2023: 

• A webinar, followed by a Questions and Answers session is on Wednesday 10th May, 7.30pm – 8.30pm, on Zoom: pre-registration is required here.

• A village Hall drop-in event is on Wednesday 17th May, 2.30-7.30pm at Rode & District Memorial Hall, High St, Rode, Frome, BA11 6PB.

• Further information is available at www.bluebellwoodsolarfarm.co.uk, via email: info@bluebellwoodsolarfarm.co.uk and a Freephone Information Line: 0800 458 3979 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm), or by post: Freepost LOW CARBON UK SOLAR DEVELOPMENT (no stamp required).  

The developers have also applied to Somerset Council for a formal opinion on whether the future planning application will require Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), see 2023/0535/SCREEN, which the Council will respond to. The letter provides a description of the development (PV panels, c.25 batteries within shipping containers (or similar), up to around 26 inverters, one substation and one customer switchroom, internal access tracks, a perimeter fence, and CCTV cameras) and potential environmental impacts, brief discussions of surveys undertaken, and the proposed methods for assessing landscape/visual, ecological, cultural heritage and other impacts, including the proposed landscape/visual impact viewpoints (see below). The letter concludes that the development should not require EIA because ‘The site is not environmentally sensitive not subject to any local, national or international environmental designations. It would not involve any complex or potentially hazardous environmental effects.’

An indicative layout from the developer’s website, and proposed landscape/visual assessment study area and viewpoints (from the EIA Screening request) are reproduced below:

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