Enviromena is preparing to submit a planning application to Folkestone and Hythe District Council for a solar farm located on land next to St Mary’s Road, Romney Marsh, TN29 0BT.
Unlike other, much larger schemes under consideration across the UK, this proposal is a 16MW solar farm and will instead be decided at a local level. The solar farm will create enough clean, renewable energy to power approximately 10,600 homes per annum. The carbon offsetting of this solar farm is approximately 5,900 tonnes of carbon in emissions per annum, which is the equivalent of taking 4,200 cars off the road each year.
Where is the proposed site?
Benefits of St Mary in the Marsh Solar Farm
- The solar farm will assist Folkestone and Hythe District Council in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with national and local targets in response to the Climate Emergency.
- Careful consideration has been given to the project to avoid effects on any scheduled ancient monuments, ancient hedgerows and woodlands within the Folkestone and Hythe area.
- The project will deliver net beneficial gains for biodiversity. Solar farm installations have a small footprint on the land they occupy, leaving considerable scope for biodiversity enhancements. Research has shown that responsibly managed solar farms can play an important role in reducing the decline in biodiversity.
- Existing trees and hedgerows will be retained and protected and supplemented by additional native species planting to support local habitats as part of a wider ecological network.
- The project utilises considerably less land than other larger Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) proposals across the UK.
- The development of green projects like St Mary in the Marsh Solar Farm also create business opportunities and economic activity which contribute to the country’s green recovery.
- We are committed to using local suppliers and contractors during construction and long-term operation of the project, which will benefit the local economy, and provide jobs to people in the local area.
- The proposal does not require the stopping or diversion of any public rights of way.
- The project connects to the local distribution network within the land, eliminating the need for off-site cable routing.
- This is a temporary development, allowing the land to rest for the period of operation up to 40 years. Decommissioning and full restoration of the site at the end of life of the development will be secured via planning condition.
- The project does not require Government subsidies.