A plan to build a solar and green infrastructure facility that could power thousands of homes has been submitted to East Devon District Council.
The Ford Oaks Solar & Green Infrastructure Facility, next to the A30 close to Exeter Airport and Marsh Green village, is being proposed by local landowners including Devon County Council and Taiyo Power & Storage - a joint venture between Kajima and Low Carbon Alliance.
According to Taiyo Power, the facility could power up to 18,500 homes and will include 45-hectares of green infrastructure improvements. It will be the first solar development in the UK to apply for the Building with Nature Accreditation.
Launched last year, Taiyo Power is putting forward proposals for a number of solar and battery storage sites across Britain in order to support the Government’s commitment for the country to be net-zero carbon by 2050, it said.
Community consultations began in autumn 2021 and are being led by charity Devon Communities Together.
The organisations behind the plans claim the facility could save 7,430 tonnes of CO2 emissions - the equivalent of taking 1,600 petrol cars off Devon’s roads for one year. The plans include creating grassland habitats, traditional meadows, a mosaic of wetland habitats, and beetle and butterfly banks.
Simon Crowe, director at Taiyo, said: “Ford Oaks will be a fantastic opportunity for East Devon to progress its ambitious climate strategy.”
He added: “If we are to truly make East Devon a greener district, we must go beyond renewable energy provision to also enhance the local area’s biodiversity. That’s why we are excited to make this the UK’s first solar park to apply for the Building with Nature accreditation, with vast amounts of biodiversity and nature improvements to the local area.”
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