New planning application for 49.9MW County Durham solar project submitted

Last month saw Lightsource bp marking a milestone for one of our UK solar projects – our 49.9MWac Hett Moor solar project in County Durham was submitted to the local planning authority for consideration. If approved, the project will generate enough renewable electricity every year to power the equivalent of 16,300 UK homes saving 20,500 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, the equivalent of taking 4,400 large family cars off the roads. This project is a great example of how Lightsource bp is enabling a rapid transition to a low carbon future.

The project was originally submitted in 2021, and planning permission was refused by Durham Planning Committee in June 2022. Lightsource bp has since taken into account the comments received on the first application and have amended the proposals for resubmission. As part of the changes, the panels situated in the western corner have been removed, and further planting has been introduced throughout the site to filter and break up views of the solar panels. The Hett Moor site, chosen after careful consideration, is an ideal location for a solar project, and in the light of the UK Government’s reaffirmed commitments to Net Zero and Energy Security, this proposed solar farm would be an important contribution towards County Durham’s ambition to be a Carbon Neutral county as soon as possible.

As with all of our UK solar sites, Hett Moor has been carefully designed to integrate into the local landscape, and to live up to our commitments to sustainability. If approved, as well as providing a biodiversity net gain of up to 85%, enhancing habitats and supporting the rural economy on a local basis, this project will contribute positively to the UK’s stated targets of achieving net zero by 2050, and decarbonising the electricity system by 2035. UK projects such as Hett Moor are an important part of reaching our ambitious goal of developing 25GW by 2025, and enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy for businesses and utilities worldwide.