Middle Road Solar Farm & BESS

Providing Clean, Green Energy for Fenland

PACE is preparing to submit a planning application to Fenland District Council for a Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on land north of Whittlesey Road, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 0AF.

The project would have a generating capacity of 49.8MW with 30MW of battery storage. The proposed development would create enough renewable energy to meet the annual electricity demands of approximately 24,000 homes. This represents an annual CO2 saving equivalent to taking around 13,000 cars off the road.

The co-located battery storage facility will supply electricity to the electricity network at times of peak energy demand and help make the renewable energy output of the solar farm a secure and reliable part of the UK energy supply.

Where is the proposed Middle Road Solar Farm & BESS?

Benefits of Middle Road Solar Farm & BESS

  • The solar farm & BESS will assist Fenland Distirct Council in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with national and local targets in response to the Climate Emergency.

  • The project will deliver biodiversity net gains. 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.

  • 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 removal or diversion of any public rights of way.

  • 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.

  • PACE is seeking to engage with the local community to support projects in the local area.

  • The project does not require Government subsidies.

About Us

PACE is a leading independent developer of energy projects.

PACE was established in 2017 as a global developer and investor in clean energy and brings together over 150 years of experience from across the technical and financial supply chain. 

We are working with the National Grid to develop a portfolio of strategically located solar photovoltaic and battery storage installations that ensure low carbon electricity is delivered when and where it is most needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • There is an urgent need to generate energy from new, and environmentally friendly sources, and solar power emerges as the most cost-effective and rapidly deployable among all energy sources.

    Solar power is already yielding tangible results. For instance, during the period from June to August in 2022, solar power frequently contributed up to 25% of the UK’s daytime electricity (according to the National Grid ESO carbon app).

    Even in winter, solar panel technology is still effective; at one point in February 2022, solar was providing more than 20% of the UK’s electricity (According to the National Grid).

    Solar power is a core part of the Governments’ Net Zero target, and it intends to more than triple solar power capacity by 2030.

    Achieving this objective requires the deployment of larger scale solar farms as well as on the rooftops of industrial and residential buildings.

  • The solar farm & accompanying BESS consent is proposed for a temporary period of 40 years. At the end of this period the site will be decommissioned and the land will revert back to full agricultural use. Planning conditions and legal agreements are arranged to ensure this is transition guaranteed.

  • The UK Food Security Report (2021) found that “the biggest medium to long term risk to the UK’s domestic production comes from climate change and other environmental pressures such as soil degradation, water quality and biodiversity”.

    Solar farms currently account for 0.08% of total land use in the UK (Solar Energy UK 2022). The Government targets for a fivefold increase in solar would result in 0.3% of the UK land area being used by solar (Carbon Brief, 2022). This is the equivalent to around half of the space used by golf courses.

  • No, solar panels have no moving parts and emit no sound.Inverters and transformers can emit very low level sound, but these are sited away from houses and cannot be heard from more than a few metres away.

    Battery energy storage sites are not usually audible above ambient noise-levels. A full noise assessment has been conducted for the site and the project design will include mitigation, if necessary.

  • It typically takes 6-9 months to build a solar farm of this size. Site working would typically be Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings only.

    A construction traffic management plan will be conditioned and subject to detailed liaison with the highways department post planning. Once the solar farm is constructed, monitoring will be carried out remotely by PACE, minimising visits by maintenance staff.

  • For our solar farm projects we require a nearby grid connection, a well-screened site that is consistent with planning policy and a supportive landowner. Middle Road Solar Farm & BESS offers all of these features.

  • There is no evidence that solar farms have a negative impact on wildlife. In fact, wildlife thrives within the sites when managed sensitively.

    We will continue to work closely with the County Council's ecological team to ensure that the bird and wildlife habitats in the Nene Washes Nature Reserve are protected and enhanced

  • The battery enclosures are specifically engineered to guarantee secure operation throughout the project’s lifespan. Advanced safety measures, including continuous monitoring of individual battery cells, are in place to promptly address any potential concerns and manage operations for utmost safety.

    Battery energy storage systems are designed to adhere to stringent safety standards established by international regulatory bodies like the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

    These comprehensive standards encompass various facets of battery storage systems, including installation, operation, and maintenance, to ensure their compliance with the highest safety protocols.

  • The Lithium-Ion batteries that will be used in the project are not reliant on scarce raw materials. There are established recycling processes for recovering the most common elements used in battery construction - cobalt, nickel, lithium and manganese - for re-use.

Public Consultation Event

 

You are invited to our public consultation event which will be taking place on Thursday 6th February 2025 at The Braza Club, Elm Road, March, PE15 8NZ (3pm - 7pm)

Project Timeline

February 2025

Pre-Submission Consultation

March/April 2025

Finalise Proposed Design

May 2025

Submit Planning Application

End of 2025

Planning Decision

Contact Us

If you wish to contact us or require further information, please feel free to use the form (situated to the left) or by the following methods:

Feedback@alpacacommunications.com

Freepost: ALPACA COMMUNICATIONS LTD