The Project
Project overview
Lime Down Solar Park is a utility-scale solar park and battery energy storage project proposed as being built on land in North Wiltshire.
The project would comprise the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and an on-site battery energy storage facility, with an underground cable connection into the national grid at Melksham substation so the electricity it generates can be made available to homes and businesses across the UK.
If consented, the solar park could deliver up to 500MW of renewable energy. This is equivalent to providing enough clean affordable electricity to power approximately 115,000 homes annually.
Location
The solar park is located within the administrative boundary of Wiltshire. It is proposed as being built across five sites comprising approximately 900 hectares (2,224 acres) located to the north of the M4, southwest of Malmesbury.
A sixth site near Melksham substation, approximately 20 kilometres (km) to the south of the solar development sites, has been identified as one of two potential sites where a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) could be located.
The six sites making up the solar park can be identified as follows:
Lime Down A – located to the east of Commonwood Lane
Lime Down B – located to the east of the Fosse Way
Lime Down C – lies across the Fosse Way to the east of Alderton
Lime Down D – lies immediately to the north of the Great Western Railway line and Hullavington, south of Bradfield Wood
Lime Down E – located to the south-west of Rodbourne, and south of Corston
Land at Melksham substation – sits to the west of Melksham Substation and lies on the northern edge of Whitley
PDF copies of maps and plans showing the location of these sites are available to view and download from our Documents page HERE.
The Project location map denotes the extent of the land required for the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the solar park, as well as the broad route corridors in which an underground cable between the solar park and Melksham substation could be routed.
The site boundary for the solar park encompasses areas for the solar infrastructure, as well as areas for habitat enhancements, biodiversity net gain, ecological improvements, and buffer zones to maintain distance between the solar array and sensitive areas such as the Cotswold National Landscape (formerly known as the Cotswold AoNB), nearby heritage assets including the Fosse Way, landscape features, Public Rights of Way and residential properties.
Scroll down to use the interactive map where you can search for a location and see how it relates to the site.
Site selection
We selected sites for the proposed solar development after considering Government policy on new renewable energy projects. This includes examining whether they are within a viable distance of an available grid connection, have suitable levels of irradiation (sunlight), environmental constraints, the distance of the site from dwellings, agricultural quality of the land, and accessibility.
Further to engagement with landowners who confirmed their willingness to enter into lease agreements, the solar park development sites were identified as suitable for a number of additional reasons:
They comprise large arable fields of regular shape
Gently undulating topography makes the sites technically suitable for solar development and maximising the efficiency of panels
Existing hedgerows, tree belts and woodland around and across the sites mean they are well screened
Most of the sites are located in Flood Zone 1 which is defined as having low risk of flooding
There are only a small number of residential properties in proximity of the sites and effective landscaping and screening could be employed to offset or reduce any visual impacts
The land is predominantly classified as Grade 3b (moderate quality agricultural land) with some Grade 3a (good quality agricultural)
There are existing accesses for construction vehicles
