Mantle Solar Farm planning application submitted

Mantle Solar Farm is a 45 MW solar farm which aims to generate enough clean electricity to power more than 19,750 homes annually, contributing significantly to the UK’s net-zero carbon goals.​ Sensitively designed with significant new woodland and hedgerow planting… Read more

• Mantle Solar Farm is a 45 MW solar farm which aims to generate enough clean electricity to power more than 19,750 homes annually, contributing significantly to the UK’s net-zero carbon goals.​
• Sensitively designed with significant new woodland and hedgerow planting and new permissive paths.
• Expected Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of over 60% for Habitats and 16% for Hedgerows.

Exagen has submitted their planning application for the Mantle Solar Farm; it is the second UK solar farm planning application submitted by Exagen this year.

The solar farm spans three parcels of land to the southeast of Wymeswold, Leicestershire, totalling approximately 96 hectares including substantial areas of biodiversity enhancement and landscaping.

The development is designed to avoid sensitive ecological and archaeological features, maintain public rights of way, and enhance biodiversity through significant new woodland, hedgerow planting, and species-rich grassland. It also includes new permissive paths to improve countryside access.

Public consultation began in February 2025 and included a drop-in event, online webinar and multiple meetings with the closest properties, gathering feedback from residents. This has enabled Exagen to design an appropriate development for the available grid capacity within the land available.

Engagement will continue into the construction and operational phases with the establishment of a community benefit fund, to be tied to the project for its lifetime. Further information will be published on this in due course.

This project demonstrates Exagen’s commitment to support the UK’s target of a fully decarbonised electricity system by 2035 through development of renewable energy generation projects, accelerated by the Government’s latest Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

Any representations or comments on the application from interested parties should be submitted directly to Charnwood Borough Council quoting the application reference number P/25/0782/2. Link to the application.

Andrew Mott, Head of Planning and Environment at Exagen said:

“The submission of the planning application marks a key milestone for the project after many months of surveys, consultation and design work. We have worked closely with our environmental and technical consultants to arrive at a final design which looks to deliver the cheap, clean, domestic electricity that is so urgently needed, whilst balancing this against the landscape, ecological and heritage constraints of the Site.

The site is outside of any landscape, heritage of ecology designations, does not include any Best and Most Versatile agricultural land and the project delivers a biodiversity net gain of more than 60% arising from 1.4 ha of new native species woodland, 3.1 km of new hedgerows, 60 ha of modified grassland around the panels, 14.5 ha of species rich grassland field margins and a new pond.

The application will now undergo a period of formal consultation during which time we look forward to receiving feedback on the submitted information.”