Project Overview
We are in the process of developing a planning application for a solar farm with battery storage facility at High Nunton Farm, near Borgue in Dumfries and Galloway.
The project will:
generate a significant amount of low carbon electricity, which will flow into the local electrical grid, helping to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions produced in providing electricity to the area. In total, it is forecast that the project will generate the same amount of electricity each year as is used by approximately 8,000 homes.
be directly connected to the electrical network and all local electrical consumers will benefit from the sun’s low carbon energy, as it ‘flows’ into the local grid network.
will also include battery energy storage to help store the sun’s energy for when it is most needed and to provide important balancing services to the local grid, including helping to control voltage and frequency levels for the benefit of the local community.
We plan to continue to graze sheep around the panels and will also use the project as a platform to increase biodiversity across the site, including additional woodland and hedgerow planting and the rewilding of the wetland areas around the farm. As part of the project, we are also proposing to include a new footpath and picnic area for the enjoyment of the local community.
We have commissioned Prospus Group Ltd. to prepare the planning application for the project and to help us engage with the local community ahead of finalising the project plans.
Key Details
The solar farm is forecast to generate 29,700MWh of electricity each year - equivalent to the annual electricity consumed by approximately 8,000 homes!
The project would save an estimated 40,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over its lifetime - equivalent to driving the average new car around the world over 8,600 times!
The solar farm is proposed to cover 48 hectares and the project would enhance biodiversity as part of a bespoke landscape, planting and management plan, which includes an additional 18 hectares of land set aside for woodland planting and biodiversity improvement.
The project will include for a new 4km footpath and woodland picnic area for the enjoyment of the local community.
The project includes battery energy storage that will not only help store energy for when it is most needed but will also provide a range of high-speed balancing services to the national and local grid to help Scotland transition away from harmful fossil fuels.
The project is due to begin in 2025 when the grid connection is available.
Following the closure of the Feed in Tariff and Renewable Obligation schemes to new entries, new build solar PV projects in the UK do not currently receive any government subsidy meaning that this project will form one of a growing number of UK-based solar PV projects built without subsidy.
The Site
The site has been chosen because of its remoteness and the limited visibility of the site from the surrounding areas. The site also benefits from the local area’s solar micro-climate which means it enjoys some of the highest solar irradiance levels in Scotland, receiving the same amount of energy each year from the sun as sites hundreds of miles further south.
The site is currently predominantly used for grazing, and we are keen to continue to graze sheep on the land once the solar farm has been built.
Whilst we’re applying for planning permission now, the grid connection will not be available until 2025, therefore the project isn’t scheduled to begin construction until 2025. However, we will be planting the proposed woodland and hedges to help screen the project in the first planting season after planning consent to maximise growth and the screening it offers.
Location Plan
Please note: The final design and layout of the proposed development will be shaped by feedback from the key stakeholders, community engagement, and on-going ecological, visual, landscape, and heritage assessments. The illustration on this page is a draft of the layout and landscaping only. This draft has been informed by the environmental assessments that have been completed to-date. The design phase is an evolving process.
The construction of the site is likely to take around nine months, during which time access will be from an existing farm track to the north, using the A75 and A755, meaning that construction traffic will not pass through Borgue. The site will not be permanently staffed, and the very limited maintenance access will typically involve a small team of engineers every few months using small commercial or 4WD vehicles.
Working with a landscape architect, the team have refined the design to limit views of the solar farm from the surrounding homes, roads, and pathways. The site is naturally well screened and benefits from the local ridgelines, woodland, trees, hedges, and walls. To further improve this, our landscape architect and ecologists are carefully developing a landscape and planting plan for new and enhanced woodland and hedges.
Initial Thoughts
The final design and layout of the proposed development will be shaped by feedback from the key stakeholders, community engagement, and on-going ecological, landscape, and heritage assessments. However, here we share some of our key initial thoughts for how the project could positively impact flora, fauna, and the local area.
The solar panels will be developed in open fields and the existing trees and woodland will be retained by the scheme.
A detailed landscape and planting plan will be developed as part of the planning application. This will include significant additional native woodland and hedge planting, to help provide enhanced visual screening, enhanced habitat for local wildlife, improved water retention and flood protection. The screen planting for the project will be planted in the first planting season after planning consent, giving the new hedges and trees years of growth before the solar farm is built.
The farm is currently used as a working farm and is predominantly grazed by sheep with small areas used for limited arable planting. The solar farm would allow the farm to continue to be grazed by sheep but would also allow the farm to increase the land dedicated to woodland and wildlife.
A wide range of surveys have been completed to establish how the land is currently been used by local wildlife including breeding birds, over wintering and migratory birds, badgers, bats, and otters. The project team are also carefully considering hydrology and wetland habitats to ensure that the designs as they develop manage the impacts on these by following Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) guidance.
As the project develops, a bespoke management plan for the site will be developed by ecologists to ensure that the project protects and enhances habitats for local wildlife, including planting native species to focus on providing favourable conditions for local wildlife.
The project will include plans for a new 4km footpath and woodland picnic area for the benefit of local residents.
The site is currently predominately used for sheep grazing and the proposal will see the area underneath and around the solar panels planted with grass to permit grazing to continue after the project has been completed.
The site is surrounded by stone walls that will be maintained and will help to screen the project and retain its agricultural appearance.
Deer fencing will be installed around the site for security purposes.
The design allows for rows of panels with significant gaps between and around them, ensuring that up to 70% of the fenced solar area will remain as uncovered grassland.
