Lightsource bp to hold community consultation event for new solar installation proposal on land near Cliff Lane, Marston

Lightsource bp, a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects, will be outlining their proposal to fund, develop and build a 49.9MW solar installation on 173 acres of land at Gonerby Moor, near Cliff Lane, Marston, Lincolnshire, at a virtual community information event on Thursday 22nd October. Lightsource bp is inviting residents from the surrounding area to attend the online event, where further information will be made available on the proposals.

The team are aware that not everyone has access to the internet, and encourages those who are unable to join the online session to call 0333 200 0755 or write to the Environmental Planning & Sustainability Team, at Lightsource bp, 7th floor 33 Holborn, London, E1CN 2HU.

The community information event will be held online on Thursday 22nd October starting from 7:30pm, and interested parties can join via the project webpage,  or by visiting this link. The Lightsource bp team will show a brief video outlining the proposals for the solar project, and will then take Q&A to answer any queries and gather feedback from the local community.

The proposed Gonerby Moor solar installation will provide enough clean renewable energy to 14,375 homes, saving 14,600 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, the equivalent of taking 3,250 large family cars off the roads. This project is a key facet of Lightsource bp’s mission to rapidly accelerate the transition to a low carbon future.

As well as generating clean energy, Lightsource bp solar installations are designed so that they also act as a haven for local wildlife. A bespoke Biodiversity Management Plan will be developed in conjunction with the planning application, to enhance the site as much as possible for local wildlife. As part of this initiative, our planting plan will focus on native species. Lightsource bp is also eager to hear from wildlife enthusiasts and local schools who may be interested in playing a role in the ongoing monitoring of wildlife on the site, as part of the company’s drive to contribute positively to all the communities it serves.

The proposed layout for the solar farm at Gonerby Moor has been designed in such a way that large areas of open grassland around the panels will be suitable for grazing small livestock, allowing the land to retain the potential for agricultural use.

The proposed fields have been chosen because they are well-screened by local vegetation which would limit any views of the solar installation from the surrounding area.

Penny Laurenson, Director of Environmental Planning and Sustainability, Lightsource bp said:

“Solar energy is not only clean and renewable, but it also generates locally-produced electricity. This makes solar an important part of meeting the global rise in energy demand efficiently and more sustainably, which is a core aspect of Lightsource bp’s sustainability mission.

Safety is one of our core values, and in order to keep to the standards of community engagement that we’ve set as a company in the current global situation, we’re replacing our physical community consultation with an online Q&A session where the local community can obtain all necessary information about our proposals and provide feedback. We want to ensure that local communities in and around the proposed location have all the information they need about this project.”

Residents can obtain further information on the project, at any time, by getting in touch with the Lightsource bp team via info@lightsourcebp.com quoting ‘Gonerby Moor’, calling 0333 200 0755 or writing to “Environmental Planning & Sustainability Team, Lightsource bp, 7th Floor, 33 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HU”.