40-acre Cardiff solar farm set for planning green light

Plans for a 40-acre solar farm in Cardiff have moved forward after they were recommended for approval.The facility, earmarked for the old landfill site at Lamby Way, Rumney, would generate 7.5 megawatts of green electricity and have a lifespan of 35 years.Cardiff Council’s cabinet backed a business case for the scheme last year and the local authority’s proposal has now received the support of planning officers.Last year, the council said it had been working with an organisation located close to the site which had agreed, in principle, to use 4.5 MW of from the solar farm over 20 years, with the remaining 3.5 MW of electricity being sold to the National Grid.The installation will include more than 30,000 solar panels arranged in rows. A security fence, 2.2 metres in height, will be erected around the site and 39 camera poles, approximately three-to-four metres high, will be put in place, each pole supporting a CCTV camera for surveillance.According to a report to be scrutinised by councillors, the development is considered to comply with local and national planning policies, which advise local authorities to “facilitate all forms of renewable and low carbon energy development” and “give significant weight to the Welsh Government’s targets to increase renewable and low carbon energy generation”,The impacts upon the neighbouring nature conservation designations have been assessed and the council’s ecologist is satisfied that there will be no adverse effect upon the integrity of the Severn Estuary sites, nor will there be any harmful impact upon the Severn Estuary SSSI or wildlife interests. Relevant conditions are recommended.Natural Resource Wales (NRW) is said to currently take a different view and hold “significant concerns” regarding the potential for an adverse effect from the proposed development on the integrity of the Severn Estuary’s status as a designated special area of conservation and special protection area.A revised assessment is being prepared to address NRW’s current concerns and the body’s final comments will be reported to committee.