Tackling Climate Change
As we transition to a net-zero future, reducing the impacts of climate change both locally and globally, RES' priority is to deliver clean, green electricity at the lowest cost for consumers. New analysis on electricity generation costs published by BEIS1 shows that large-scale solar, alongside onshore wind, are now the cheapest forms of electricity generation. This makes developments like Longhedge Solar Farm not just good for the environment but also for the consumer.
If consented, Longhedge Solar Farm would be capable of producing clean, green electricity for approximately 15,2002 homes every year.
Benefiting the Local Community
RES seeks to be a power for good in the communities that neighbour its projects by working openly and constructively to ensure meaningful local benefits.
RES is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, local contractors and employees are used in all aspects of solar farm development. The major opportunities arise during the construction phase when suitably qualified local firms are often invited to bid for different aspects of construction. We encourage our contractors to source construction materials locally (i.e. within the county) and to use local transport and plant hire companies where possible, in addition to local services and amenities.
Longhedge would also provide recreational benefits to a wide range of Public Rights of Way users through the creation of two permissive bridleways. Permissive bridleway A, to the west of the site, provides a safe off-road route from the village of Hawksworth connecting with the existing bridleway running across the north of the site. Permissive bridleway B runs along the eastern side of the site toward the village of Thoroton to the south where it connects to the existing Public Right of Way.
Furthermore, the Longhedge Solar Farm proposal has the potential to deliver a biodiversity net gain of over 100% through the measures proposed in the Biodiversity Management Plan, which accompanies the planning application. These measures include planting of native trees and over 2.5km of new species-rich hedgerows and the installation of bird and bat boxes, hedgehog houses, reptile hibernacula, invertebrate hotels and additional bee banks.
1https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6556027d046ed400148b99fe/electricity-generation-costs-2023.pdf
2 The homes figure has been calculated by taking the predicted average annual electricity generation of the site and dividing this by the annual average electricity figures from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) showing that the annual UK average domestic household consumption is 3,748 kWh (Dec 2021).