The government has approved Frodsham Solar, a 134MW farm with batteries beside the wind farm, despite Green Belt harm. Legal challenges run to about 8 December.

The government has approved a large solar farm and battery store at Frodsham, despite accepting that it will harm the Green Belt.

Baroness Curran granted development consent for Frodsham Solar on 27 October, on behalf of the Energy Secretary. The decision letter calls it inappropriate development in the Green Belt and gives that harm “substantial negative weight”. It concludes that the urgent need for the project, together with its other benefits, clearly outweighs that harm.

Because it is a nationally significant project, the decision was made in Whitehall and not by Cheshire West and Chester Council. The Planning Inspectorate’s project page holds the full set of documents.

What will be built

The decision letter describes the project as:

  • ground-mounted solar panels and an on-site substation
  • a battery energy storage system
  • a grid connection at Frodsham Substation
  • a private wire to supply nearby businesses
  • areas set aside for non-breeding birds and skylarks

Figures in circulation vary. The decision letter’s figure is 134MW, down from 147MW. That 13MW cut came when one area of land was taken out of the panel layout and given over to birds. Natural England, the RSPB, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the council all asked for the change, to protect the Mersey Estuary’s protected bird habitat.

The developer told ministers that 134MW is a base case and not a fixed limit. It says it will try to get as close to 147MW as it can as the design develops.

The solar farm will sit alongside Frodsham Wind Farm, which the decision letter counts as an efficient use of land. Expected lifetime generation is about 6.45 million megawatt hours.

The harm the government accepts

The letter does not pretend this comes free. Alongside the Green Belt, it accepts harm to the landscape, heritage and biodiversity.

“Less than substantial” harm is expected to the settings of six heritage sites:

  • Frodsham (Town) Conservation Area
  • Castle Park Conservation Area
  • Castle Park Registered Park and Garden
  • Overton, St Lawrence’s (Frodsham) Conservation Area
  • Frodsham Hill War Memorial
  • the promontory fort on Helsby Hill

There would also be some harm to ridge and furrow fields and to ventilation shafts.

Against that, the letter counts about 109 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, lower carbon emissions, biodiversity gains and better public rights of way. The construction jobs are temporary.

Land and access

The developer can compulsorily acquire land, but ministers limited those powers in one place. On two plots owned by ICL, it can only acquire permanent rights, not the land itself.

Hoverforce, the activity centre that uses Marsh Lane, told ministers that the proposed access would damage its business and complained about a lack of engagement. The developer says the construction route, via Pool Lane, Grinsome Road, Protos, Marsh Lane and the wind farm’s tracks, can be distinguished from the part of Marsh Lane that Hoverforce uses, and it has committed to keeping access open. The minister concluded that the developer had taken reasonable steps to engage.

What it means for you

The decision is made, and residents cannot now comment on it. A legal challenge is the only route left. It takes the form of a judicial review, which must be claimed at the Planning Court within six weeks starting the day after publication. That takes it to about 8 December.

The western construction route is secured in the outline traffic plan. Residents near Marsh Lane, Pool Lane and Grinsome Road can find the project documents on the project page.

No construction start date is given in the decision letter. We will report it when the developer publishes one. For other major schemes in the borough, see our planning news page.