Kitland Solar

Client: LDA Design’s planning team co-ordinated the planning application working closely with Statkraft UK and a wide range of technical experts including: •Planning and lead consultant (LDA Design), •Landscape architects (LDA Design), •Ecologists (BSG Ecology), •Transport consultants (PJA), •Arboricultural consultants (Aspect Tree Consultancy), •Heritage consultants (Headland Archaeology), •Noise consultants (Accon UK), •Flood risk and drainage experts (Campbell Reith), •Glint and glare specialists (Wardell Armstrong), •Soil quality assessors (Kernon Countryside Services)

Lower Stock Farm, Bakers Lane, Langford, North Somerset BS40 5HT (Easting 346012; Northing 161749)

Executive summary from entrant:

Kitland Solar sets a new benchmark in demonstrating how large-scale energy infrastructure can be sensitively designed to deliver multiple beneficial outcomes for society and nature. In addition to producing renewable energy and CO2 offsetting, the project’s pioneering agri-environmental approach means that cattle and sheep grazing is retained on site in support of positive management for greater and lesser horseshoe bats, alongside extensive new hedgerow, woodland and wetland foraging habitats. Access to nature is enhanced through 3.8km of new definitive public rights of way, plus there will be wildflower meadows, new ponds and a community orchard achieving 94% Biodiversity Net Gain.