Have your say on the Mallard Pass Solar Farm
A meeting is taking place today at Ryhall Village Hall
Today, early-stage proposals have been unveiled for Mallard Pass Solar Farm as the team behind the project launched a consultation to seek local views on the project.
If built, the new solar farm would generate enough clean, renewable energy to power the equivalent of 92,000 homes, which is equivalent to Rutland and South Kesteven combined.
The project is situated across 880 hectares of land either side of the East Coast Main Line near Essendine, partly situated in South Kesteven and Lincolnshire, and partly in Rutland. It will generate energy through solar panels, which would then be connected to the National Grid at the existing Ryhall substation. As well as energy infrastructure, the project is also proposing to provide a sizeable biodiversity net-gain, improve green spaces that connect habitats and link recreational routes to promote connectivity.
The project is being brought forward by Mallard Pass Solar Farm Limited, a joint venture between Windel Energy and Canadian Solar. Windel Energy was established in 2018 and specialises in the development and asset management of renewable energy projects and low carbon technologies.
This non-statutory phase of community consultation runs from today (4 November) until Thursday 16 December 2021. Recognising the benefits of digital consultation tools and face-to-face engagement, Mallard Pass Solar Farm is running a hybrid consultation, with both Q&A webinars as well as three in-person drop-in sessions.
These event dates are as follows:
-Tuesday 23 November 2021 — 2pm to 6pm — Ryhall Village Hall, Church St, Ryhall, Stamford PE9 4HR
-Wednesday 24 November 2021 — 10am to 3pm — Stamford Town Hall, St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DR
-Thursday 25 November 2021 — 2pm to 8pm — Essendine Village Hall, Bourne Rd, Essendine, Stamford PE9 4LQ
-Wednesday 17 November 2021 – Community Webinar 1 – 10am to 12pm
-Thursday 2 December 2021 – Community Webinar 2 – 6pm to 8pm
Full details of all these events can be found on the projects website.
Commenting on the launch of Mallard Pass Solar Farm, Gary Toomey, Managing Director of Windel Energy said:
“With this week being the start of COP26, we’re as aware as ever that we need to urgently decarbonize our electricity system. We want to do this whilst delivering reliable and sustainable energy, enhancing the local environment and being a responsible neighbour.
"At a time when gas prices are at an all-time high due to our reliance on imported energy, it is our ambition to create low-cost energy that is kind to the local environment and delivers for the planet.
“We recognise the need to deliver these projects sensitively. We want to talk with local communities to understand their views and listen to their ideas. Feedback received during this Stage One consultation will help us to develop our proposals more thoroughly, and we want to hear from as many members of the community as possible. Our project website, virtual exhibition and contact channels are now live, and we will be coming to the community to host three local consultation events. I would encourage anyone with an interest in these projects to get in touch and take part in our upcoming consultation.”
Given the amount of renewable energy this project would generate, it will be classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. This means that, to gain permission to build and operate it, a Development Consent Order application will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) after extensive consultation with stakeholders including local communities and District and County Councils. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will determine whether to grant consent for the proposal.
A dedicated website has been launched for the project, where a virtual exhibition including more information is available here. This website will be updated as the proposals develop.
Stage One consultation will be followed by further environmental assessment and design work ahead of a Stage Two consultation on more detailed proposals next year, before submitting the DCO applications at the end of 2022.
Local residents and community members with an interest in the proposals can contact the project team directly, by emailing info@mallardpasssolar.co.uk or calling 0808 196 8717.