- 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.”
22nd February 2024
A solar energy farm capable of supplying cheap and green energy to more than 17,500 homes is being planned for Nottinghamshire.
Renewable energy specialist Exagen has submitted plans to set up the solar farm and battery storage facility on a site in Rushcliffe.
The amount of electricity the site will be capable of generating equates to around a quarter of the energy needs of the entire Rushcliffe borough.
Exagen is applying to build the Old Wood solar farm on lower grade agricultural land, near the village of Wysall, that is not part of the green belt.
The location has been chosen because the electricity generated and stored onsite can be fed directly into existing power lines which pass overhead.
Andrew Mott, Head of Planning and Environment at Exagen, said: “Rushcliffe has set out ambitious targets to help the borough achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Our Old Wood Energy Park will make a significant contribution to meeting that goal, displacing 22,455 tonnes of CO2 each year.”
“The UK’s last coal-fired power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar only a few miles away will be decommissioned soon. This project represents a symbolic, local opportunity to help the UK switch away from polluting fossil fuel power to quickly generated solar energy.”
Exagen’s team of highly experienced technical and environmental specialists have been working on the planning application for the past two years, and have put in place a series of special measures to protect and enhance the landscape and its wildlife:
- Preserving all existing trees and hedgerows around the site, alongside new belts of woodland, 2.5 km of new hedgerows and further planting to plug any gaps.
- 24 hectares of new grassland planted with wildflowers.
- Green corridors to allow wildlife to pass freely through the site, with traditional 8-foot wooden post stock fencing which keeps deer away from the solar panels but allows smaller mammals like rabbits to pass through.
- Badger setts will be undisturbed and a nesting area for skylarks is being set aside.
- Existing footpaths will be maintained, with the Midshires Way in a screened corridor 40-200 metres wide. This is much greater than legal requirements and will increase the amount of land accessible to walkers.
Inward-facing CCTV will monitor the solar panel areas, but this will be activated only by movement.
Though the application has only just been submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council (app ref: 24/00161/FUL), Exagen has already carried out consultation with more than 100 nearby residents and spoken to local councillors.
Exagen’s community engagement officer, Sam Warne, said: “We want to work with residents and local councillors to ensure this project makes a positive contribution to the environment in every sense. We’ve already made changes to our plans in response to some of the early feedback we’ve received, particularly around public rights of way.”
Other changes made include increasing the distance between the solar farm and Bunny Old Wood to the north – which will be around 100 feet away at its closest point – and setting the solar farm at least one field back from Bradmore Road, which passes to the east of the site.
The site near Old Wood has been chosen because it enables the energy generated to be connected directly to the National Grid, avoiding costs that would be fed back into bills.
Plans for the Old Wood Energy Park also include a battery facility at the southern end of the proposed site, so that the power generated can be stored and provided to the Grid when it’s most needed.
The plans will also lead to an increase in the biodiversity of the site, with lower grade agricultural land being replaced by grassland and wildflowers.
Exagen has set up a website at https://exagen.co.uk/projects/old-wood-energy-park/ which provides more information about the project.
Andrew Mott added: “This planning submission is a culmination of months of engagement and consultation. Our team have gathered input from local communities, council officers and external stakeholders to shape our project for the better. “We’ll continue to listen to residents and councillors as our application progresses.”
The planning application for the Old Wood Energy Park has been submitted to and validated by Rushcliffe Borough Council. Any representations or comments on the application from interested parties should be submitted directly to the council using the online form under the ‘Comments’ section on the application or in writing (letter or email) to Rushcliffe Borough Council, Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7YG or planningandgrowth@rushcliffe.gov.uk, quoting the application reference number 24/00161/FUL.
Highlights
- The new 500MW / 1GWh battery site will be capable of powering 235,000 homes for two hours, equivalent to 80% of the homes in Leicestershire.
- Approximately 45% of the 19-acre site will be set aside to improve biodiversity by extending Normanton Millennium Wood and creating wildflower meadows. The project will deliver more than 25% biodiversity net gain.
- Exagen will establish a circa £4M[1] community fund to spend on improvements in the local area, with residents consulted on how the fund is used.
[1] The total figure over the lifetime of the project is dependent on inflation and the finalised energisation date. Assuming c2% inflation, an energisation date of 2029 and a 40-year consented life, this would total c£4million.
…
11 January 2024: Planning permission has been granted by Blaby District Council to UK renewable energy developer, Exagen, for a 500MW / 1GWh grid-scale battery energy storage project on land to the northeast of Earl Shilton, Leicestershire. The Normanton Energy Reserve will be one of the largest such projects in Europe and will serve the UK’s National Grid. The Planning Committee’s decision follows months of public consultation on plans for the site, which include new habitats, extensive new woodland and boosting local biodiversity by over 25%.
Once built, the battery facility will be capable of powering 235,000 homes for two hours – the equivalent of 80% of the homes in Leicestershire – making it one of the largest battery storage projects to be granted planning permission in the UK.
Exagen submits planning application for the Holly Lane Energy Park, a hybrid solar and battery project that will deliver energy equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 11,000 UK homes.
The Holly Lane Energy Park will significantly boost biodiversity across the site, delivering a net gain of more than 123%, with plans for partnership with the local community.
- The solar farm will have an export capacity of 28MW, the battery storage system will have an installed capacity of up to 75MW.
- This is Exagen’s third large-scale renewable energy project submitted to planning in the last 10 months.
- Exagen will be establishing a community fund to spend on projects or initiatives in the local area, with communities invited to input on how the fund is used.
- Pre-application consultation with the local authorities and public consultation across three events during spring 2023 delivered optimised proposals for both the solar farm and battery storage site. Details on landscaping proposals are set out on landscaping plans submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Warwick District Council.
Exagen continues to expand its current pipeline of 2.5GW of projects in development, supported by funding in 2022 from the Octopus Energy Development Partnership, part of Octopus Energy Generation which has a minority stake in Exagen.
Public consultation began in April 2023 and included three events and multiple meetings, gathering feedback from hundreds of residents and has enabled Exagen to design an appropriate development for the available grid capacity within the land available. The targeted engagement has also provided opportunity to understand locally important projects for the community benefit fund, to be tied to the project for its lifetime.
Mark Rowcroft, Managing Director of Exagen Development said
“Submission of the Holly Lane Energy Park is a very gratifying moment for Exagen. This is our third large scale renewable energy project into planning in the past year, demonstrating our commitment to meet the UK’s net zero goal and secure everyone’s supply of electricity for years to come.
This planning application is a culmination of months of consultation by our project team, local residents and the two local authorities to refine the project; fundamentally we want to build renewable energy generation schemes that work for communities. Next, we will continue to engage with the community as we establish our significant community benefit fund.”
Further details on the project can be found on the dedicated project webpage: exagen.co.uk/projects/holly-lane-energy-park/
Notes to Editors
To arrange interviews and for other information, please contact media@exagen.co.uk
About Exagen:
Exagen is building the next generation of utility-scale renewable energy and storage projects. It applies the latest technology to transform the energy sector and partners with farmers, landowners, and communities to build biodiversity-boosting projects that tackle the threat of fuel poverty, energy security and the climate emergency. Led by an experienced team of finance, renewable, and technology experts, Exagen provides solutions to some of the energy sectors biggest challenges, creating a renewable legacy based on people, technology, and positive environmental impact.