New solar farms on 150 hectares of Northumberland farmland is given the go-ahead

Solar farms on agricultural land near Blyth and Bedlington have been approved by members of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee.

Applicant Bluefield Renewable Energy Developments said the two farms would generate almost 49.9 MW of electricity each. This would provide a reduction of around 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from each farm – the equivilant more than 5,000 cars a year.

Managing director Jonathan Selwyn told councillors: “Solar needs to go on both buildings and on land. Sheep will be grazed on the land to keep it agricultural.

“There are sometimes concern about food security, but climate change is a bigger risk.”

The Bedlington site lies on land East of Burnt House Farm on Netherton Road, and was the site of a former open-cast coal mine; the Blyth site will be on land north east of Low Horton Farm, and will be over former coal seams.

The solar panels will be in place for 40 years, before they are dismantled and the land is restored to agricultural use.

The land on the site is mostly moderate quality agricultural land, with some good quality.

Coun Richard Dodd, who recently had solar panels for his own farm approved by the same committee, said: “They’re fantastic. It has reduced my electricity bill by two-thirds.

“That’s now – what is it going to be in the summer. It is the future, it is the way forward.”

The plans for both sites were unanimously approved by councillors.

Elsewhere in the county, Northumberland Estates has applied to create a solar farm close to Alnwick.

The proposed site, close to the A1 on the southern edge of the town, has potential to deliver up to four megawatts of renewable solar energy to local businesses via private wire connections.

Solar energy is a significant move into the renewables sector for the Duke of Northumberland’s development company.

In addition to this scheme, the company has also announced long-term plans to deliver roof-top solar energy and battery energy storage systems that will assist the transition towards clean, domestically produced, renewable energy.