Environmentally-Led Design

Light Valley Solar is being developed in response to its surroundings to coexist harmoniously with the local environment. Putting nature, landscape and local communities first is central in how the project will be designed.

Solar farms can be havens for biodiversity and offer opportunities to achieve significant biodiversity net gain. We strive to go above and beyond the minimum statutory biodiversity net gain requirements where nature loss is anticipated, and the project designed to strengthen natural habitats.

To design Light Valley Solar in a way that enhances local wildlife by delivering a net gain in biodiversity, specific examples of initiatives we are considering are listed below:

  • Protection of existing ecological features such as woodland, hedgerows and ponds.

  • Maintaining existing wildlife corridors.

  • Ecological enhancement and wildflower planting.

  • Allowing livestock grazing within developments so agricultural farming practices can continue.

Alongside the results of the environmental studies we are undertaking to assess how to achieve biodiversity net gain, we welcome views on how we can best enhance the local environment and deliver biodiversity net gain.[AL1]  Please use our feedback form or provide written feedback via email or freepost to share your views with us.

Light Valley Solar is classified as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development. This requires us to assess the potential significant environmental impacts of our proposed development.

EIA is the iterative process in which the assessment of potential environmental impacts is carried out in parallel with the development design process. It is used as a tool to identify the potential environmental, social and economic effects our project might have through a series of technical assessments, so we can identify how we can reduce those impacts.

We will be conducting extensive environmental surveys and consulting with a range of stakeholders to identify the potential impact of our proposed development on a number of topics including: 

  • Ecology and biodiversity

  • Landscape and visual

  • Cultural heritage

  • Transport and access

  • Soils and agriculture

  • Hydrology flood risk and drainage

  • Socio-economics, tourism and recreation

  • Noise and vibration

  • Climate change

  • Air quality

  • Human health

  • Glint and glare

For each of these topics we will assess the impact of the project on them throughout its lifecycle from construction through to operation and decommissioning.

The results of the EIA will be set out in the Environmental Statement (ES) which will be included in our final DCO application.

The EIA process for major infrastructure projects is broken down into the three stages as follows:

    • We are preparing an EIA Scoping Report which will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS).

    • The EIA Scoping Report will provide an overview of our proposed development and the environmental baseline surveys that we intend to undertake, describe how we intend to assess any likely significant environmental effects, and set out the proposed scope and content of the EIA and ES.

    • The scope of the EIA will be informed by technical expertise and by engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the methodologies for environmental assessments are sufficient to accurately identify and understand the environmental impacts of Light Valley Solar.

    • PINS respond to the Scoping Report by issuing a Scoping Opinion, which will set out comments on our proposed approach to the EIA and the topics we need to take forward for assessment and should be presented in the ES.

    • We are required by the Planning Act 2008 to prepare a PEIR.

    • The PEIR will set out the initial findings of the EIA and identify those measures we are proposing to reduce, enhance and improve the effects of our proposed development may could have on the environment.

    • The PEIR will be presented at statutory consultation so technical stakeholders, local communities, individuals and interested parties can develop an informed view of the potential impacts Light Valley Solar may have on the local environment and provide us with their views and feedback.

    • After statutory consultation we will produce the ES.

    • This will be prepared based on the Scoping Opinion and will advance the content of the PEIR, incorporating feedback received during statutory consultation and the public and the outcomes of our assessments undertaken.

    • The ES will describe any changes to the Project and those measures we are proposing to implement to reduce, improve or enhance the impacts of the Project.

    • The ES, along with a Non-Technical Summary (NTS) will form part of the DCO application we submit to PINS.