Villagers between Stockton and Darlington have lost their battle to prevent 490 hectares (1,200 acres) of farmland being covered in solar panels.
German energy company RWE says that its Byers Gill solar farm will provide enough energy to power 70,000 homes. Panels will be installed at various locations around the villages of Bishopton, Great Stainton and Little Stainton.
The Planning Inspectorate received hundreds of letters of but came down in favour of the developer. Energy secretary Ed Miliband agreed and thus planning permission was granted.
The proposed development encompasses ground mounted solar photovoltaic panels, an on-site battery energy storage system (BESS), associated infrastructure as well as underground cable connections between panel areas to connect to the existing National Grid substation at Norton.
Adam Swarbrick, RWE UK head of solar and storage, said: 鈥淭his latest successful consent further strengthens RWE鈥檚 solar and battery storage development pipeline in the UK, supporting the UK鈥檚 energy security ambitions. Byers Gill is our largest co-located solar and battery storage development project to be consented in the UK, and the first to successfully navigate the detailed scrutiny of the NSIP examination process. This success is a testament to the expertise and capability that sits within RWE鈥檚 development teams. Our next step is to work towards a successful internal investment decision.鈥�
RWE has 11 solar projects under construction in the UK and earlier this month marked the energisation of its first UK solar site, Langford. Together, these construction and operational projects total 577 MW (AC) alongside 105 MW (AC) of co-located battery storage.
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