Paulton Solar - PACE Community Portal
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) is proposing a renewable energy scheme, known as Paulton Solar, with battery energy storage, on land south of Water Lane, Paulton, Bristol BS39 7SJ.
October 2024 update: Following consultation over the past 12 months on the layout and the design, PACE has submitted a planning application to Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council for Paulton Solar.
In response to feedback received during the public consultation held in January 2024, as well as the results of site surveys and assessments, PACE has made a number of changes to the proposal, which include: introducing new hedgerows to the western edge of the site, relocating the BESS infrastructure to the middle of the site, reducing it (from approx. 63 BESS units to 36 BESS units) and introducing an acoustic wall.
The planning application and accompanying documents can be viewed on the Bath and North East Somerset Council website, planning reference 24/03894/FUL: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/planning
A statutory consultation period will be advertised and held by Bath & North East Somerset Council to enable the public, as well as statutory consultees, to submit their comments on the application. The closing date for comments is 21 November 2024. These comments will be assessed against the proposal and a determination made in due course.
The project would have a maximum solar power output of 9.2MW of renewable energy – the equivalent of powering 3,210 homes a year and cutting 2,320 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. The battery element would provide storage for the generated solar energy and has a capacity of 49.5MW.
The development would also diversify the existing farm operation to sustain agricultural production on the wider farm landholding.
We know in light of extreme heat, wildfires and flooding across Europe that climate change is having an impact now. Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) has set an overarching carbon reduction target for the area of 45% by 2029, in line with the government’s target to cut national emissions by 80% by 2050.
B&NES policy CP3 commits to providing 275MW of renewable energy capacity, 110MW of that via electricity production, by 2029; Paulton Solar would help contribute to this target.
Solar and battery farms, such as that proposed at Paulton, are a key part of tackling the climate emergency and will form the backbone of the new zero carbon energy system.
This website contains details of our proposals, and how you can have your say. In summary:
Several sites were considered in the area. This site was selected as having few environmental constraints, including ecology and heritage.
The size of the site presents significant opportunities for biodiversity improvements, including creating new habitat for birds and insects. It would not be necessary to remove any trees or hedges and the land beneath the panels would be available for grazing livestock as well as biodiversity improvements.
Access to the site would be obtained from three existing agricultural accesses located on Monger Lane and Water Lane, and one new access to a Point of Connection on Water Lane. The access on Water Lane, when operational, would be for emergency use only. All accesses would be upgraded to accommodate construction vehicles. The short construction period (eight - nine months) means that any disturbance to residents would be kept to a minimum.
PACE believes the proposed development accords with policy and would make a vital contribution to reducing the risks of climate change.
Pathfinder Clean Energy brings together experience from the development, construction and operation of over 1GW of clean energy projects. This allows us to bring the latest best practices, technical solutions and innovation to our projects.
PACE is headquartered in the UK and is committed to a sustainable future. We are working to create low-carbon energy to the benefit of the environment and the community. Whilst having a vision to develop solar energy projects that meet the UK’s need for clean electricity, while working with communities to leave positive and lasting legacies for people and wildlife locally.
Our team includes ecologists, landscape and heritage specialists who help us to create environmentally friendly solar farms.
We welcome comments and questions on the submitted application.
Solar farms are becoming a common feature in the British landscape. They use photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate energy from daylight and distribute it to homes and businesses. Batteries store excess energy produced during the day for use at times of high demand, thereby helping to reduce the risk of power cuts.
They are necessary because coal power stations are closing and climate change commitments require big increases in renewable energy.
Solar farms produce home grown energy which contributes to the UK becoming energy independent and reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels. This is particularly important as demand for electricity for electric vehicles and heating grows.
No harmful greenhouse gas emissions are produced. The batteries use similar technology to mobile phones and laptops, and do not contain hazardous materials.
The development would generate very little noise; there has been an introduction of a 4m acoustic wall and re-positioning of inverters to ensure any noise emitted is below acceptable levels.
At the end of its 45 year operational life, the site will be completely restored.
The proposed solar farm is located on land off Water Lane, Paulton BS39 7SJ. The settlement of Paulton is to the north-west and the settlement of Midsomer Norton is to the south.
The PV arrays would be ground mounted in south facing rows, while the batteries would be housed in containers. Neither will exceed 3.5m in height.
Below are a selection of computer generated images prepared by PACE to illustrate what the solar farm would look like. Use the slider below to see a recent photograph before (left) and expected view after development (right). Once available, you can also download these in the downloads section.
Access to the site would be obtained from three existing agricultural accesses located on Monger Lane and Water Lane and one new access to a Point of Connection on Water Lane. The access on Water Lane, when operational, would be for emergency use only. All accesses would be upgraded to accommodate construction vehicles. Once operational, solar farms generate almost no traffic. The construction period would last approximately eight to nine months.
The development would be connected to the electricity grid via the existing overhead power line just north of Water Lane.
During construction, there may be some noise on some days. This wouldn’t last long and our aim is to keep it to a minimum as prior to development we would agree restrictions on working hours.
A management plan would be agreed with the Council in advance, which would include details of how you can contact us in the event of a problem.
Paulton Solar would have the capacity to generate 9.2 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable energy which would power the equivalent of over 3,210 households each year.
Battery storage would also provide power at times of high demand. And would provide storage for up to 49.5MW of electricity.
Solar power has become one of the most cost effective energy sources available. Therefore, it would be built without public subsidies.
Solar farms take up a very small proportion of the land they occupy, leaving huge scope for biodiversity. Research has shown they improve the diversity and abundance of broad leaved plants, grasses, butterflies, bumblebees and birds, including those with conservation status. Details of the enhancements we would provide can be found in the graphic.
Agricultural land would not be lost. Small livestock, such as sheep, can graze under and around the solar panels during operation, providing a dual benefit of agriculture and energy generation. The reduction in intensive agriculture and chemical fertilisers would naturally improve the quality of the soils, leaving them in a better condition at the end of the life of the solar farm.
The rapid construction time provides faster access to renewable power and lowers the nation’s carbon footprint, without creating harmful emissions.
Thank you for the community benefit suggestions made as part of the feedback during the consultation. Taking these into account, PACE is proposing a Community Benefit Fund of £150 per MW of solar per annum for the operating lifetime of the project.
Based on the current assumption of a 45-year operational life, this would equate to a total fund of £62,100 (£1,380 per year), and we look forward to working with the local community to discuss how this could be administered, should planning permission be granted.
We also offer educational support, which could include school/college talks and site tours once a solar farm is operational. Further to feedback received during the consultation, we are looking to develop the educational offer over the coming months.
A public exhibition was held on Wednesday 17 January 2024 at Paulton Village Hall.
A planning application was submitted to B&NES Council on October 2024.
A statutory consultation period will be advertised and held by B&NES Council to enable the public, as well as statutory consultees, to submit their comments on the application.. These comments will be assessed against the proposal and a determination made in due course. It takes the council approximately 13 weeks to decide the application.
If approved, further design and management details usually need to be agreed before we can start building, such as construction management and ecological management plans.
PACE will then construct the solar farm. Most deliveries are completed in the first six weeks of a construction period that usually lasts around eight to nine months.
For frequently asked questions, please take a look at the following briefing, published by Solar Energy UK; a trade association for the UK solar sector.
If you have any queries regarding solar power or would like additional information, please contact the community relations team.
We commissioned a comprehensive set of surveys to help determine the site area and layout, so that impacts on residents could be minimised, and to identify opportunities for improving the proposals.
The surveys include:
Download the MEP plan here.
You can email us at communityrelations@paultonsolar.co.uk or give us a call on 0800 3777 348 and we can arrange for someone to call you back.