Planning would be classed as temporary and would last for a defined period only. This is usually 40 years.  

After that time, there is a legal requirement that the land is returned to its original condition at the end of our temporary planning consent. Money will be set aside to ensure this can happen.  

Our panels are mounted on pile driven frames that cause minimum disturbance to the land and can be easily removed. The BESS units will also be removed. Materials removed will be recycled. 

Footpaths and bridleways are a key countryside asset for many users in the local community. We protect and enhance them with extended and improved hedges so they can continue to be enjoyed. Behind these hedges is a 5m gap before we have our fence, and our solar panels are then a further 4m inside this fence. So the solar panels are about 9-10m from the path itself. 

The Conservation Park owner is legally obliged to maintain the site as per the planning obligations. Work is often undertaken by local agricultural contractors. 

Where possible we publish surveys and reports on our website. We do not always have them ready in time for our community consultations, because we like to engage with the community early in the planning process – this allows the communities we join to have some input in to our final design. All surveys and reports are accessible to the public for scrutiny once the planning application has been submitted, and even at that late stage we remain flexible. We want to be transparent – get in touch if there is a particular aspect of our plan that you would like further information on. 

Lightrock Power was created to utilise our development expertise in the US market and between them the directors (Ben and Chris) have 10+ operational solar farms in the UK under different developers. There are currently fourteen Lightrock sites around the UK, at various stages of active planning. 

We generally plant trees and hedgerows, unless our ecologists advise selected thinning. In the unlikely event a hedgerow needs to be disturbed for access, we always ensure mitigation, reinstatement and reinforcement to the fullest extent possible. 

No, this project comes subsidy free. Although it is funded privately, the benefits are for the British public. 

No. A full flood and drainage strategy will be submitted with the planning application, but we do not expect the development to create a local flood risk. 

Yes! 

We would pay annually into a community benefit endowment. Please contact us if you would like to nominate a cause and we’d love to chat. 

Our application will be submitted with a Transport Statement and Construction Traffic Management Plan. 

Whilst we would ensure that our contractors were operating responsibility, we would be legally obliged to repair any damage they caused to roads during construction

We consider many key drivers when planning a solar farm, including the following: 

• Proximity to a grid connection point 

• No environmental, planning policy or heritage constraints. 

• A local planning authority that is supportive of Renewable Energy Projects. 

• Access from a public highway  

Like any other electrical waste, solar panels need to be disposed of responsibly. In Europe over 70% of PV manufacturers take part in a global PV CYCLE Network that helps producers meet the legal obligations of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive legislation. As members of this initiative, producers are actively engaged in the sustainability of their product during manufacturing and throughout its lifespan. Components of the panels are broken down and recycled, not just disposed of.  

Solar panels are designed to absorb as much light as possible and not to reflect it, however sometimes glint can be produced as a direct reflection of the sun from the surface of the solar PV panel, and glare can occur as a source of bright light. Glint and glare needs to be managed – we do that by carrying out assessments at the site and designing sites so any impact is low and safe.

There is some noise generated on site during the construction stage – from the construction traffic and from fixing the frame that supports the solar panels into the ground. Once built, there is no or low level noise from the site – it’s not usually something you can hear from the edge of the site. 

They produce power from daylight so can work even when the weather is overcast. 

Solar farms are not known to pose any significant health dangers to their neighbours. Unlike fossil fuels they do not release emissions into the atmosphere so there is no impact from emissions on human health. Replacing fossil fuel power stations with renewable energy alternatives like solar and wind farms means there will be less emissions from fossil fuels in the atmosphere in the longer term – good for human health and the health of the planet. 

The benefits of reduced CO2 from generating electricity by solar panels outweighs the CO2 released from their manufacture within 1-4 years. Once the transportation, construction, operation, decommissioning and recycling is accounted for in a Life Cycle Analysis, it is estimated that a solar farm in the UK pays back the embodied energy in 10-15 years. This is sometimes called the ‘carbon payback’ time. Solar panels are predominantly made of materials that are widely recycled. The PV Cycle scheme’s purpose is to establish the recycling infrastructure now for recycling solar panels at the end of their lifetime.  

Ther suppliers and manufacturers will be required to ensure that our supply chains are not associated with forced labour issues. Lightrock Power have signed the Solar Energy UK statement relating to the development of a supply chain transparency protocol and have a zero tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking. 

We would much rather put solar panels on brownfield sites or roofs. Planning regulations mean that brownfield sites are almost always earmarked for housing and unfortunately most commercial industrial buildings do not have the structural integrity to handle panels. 

Panels are mounted on a frame which is fixed to the ground with a driven C-shaped pile. 

An avoidable consequence of the warming of our climate, is more extreme weather. We will all have to learn to live and adapt to that as warming continues. 

Solar power is vital in the fight to stop the world warming, but Solar Farms also have to adapt to more extreme weather.  

In the most extreme storms, some damage is unavoidable. In the same way that other infrastructure (think power cuts and train cancellations) are not immune from extreme weather.  

Because solar panels are so quick to install, when repairs are needed, replacements are fast and would cause minimal disruption. 

Yes, the BESS technologies that we use are modern, and extremely safe. We build to the latest guidelines, and consult with fire services throughout the planning process.

Each unit is fully containerised and contains an individual fire suppression system.

The final technology hasn’t been confirmed yet. As battery technology progresses quickly we’ll remain flexible to ensure the safest and most efficient outcome for the space that we have. 

BESS forms part of the pathway to a green economy. BESS systems helpfully store electricity during times of lower demand, so that it doesn’t go to waste. They then release it to the grid when its needed. Without BESS, electricity generated by solar farms could only be used during daylight, and wind farms only when there were wind. 

We’re proud of our track record for bringing biodiversity enhancements to areas local to our projects. Solar panels are raised off the ground, which means that the space underneath can be utilised for biodiversity. We take planting advice from RSPB, and Buglife, who in this instance have recommended meadow grass, native wildflowers, and scrub. Dedicated biodiversity enhancement areas would be likely to contain enhancements such as traditional fruit trees, ponds with wetland reed beds, enhanced native hedging, and a bee bank.

The areas of solar will be grazed by a low density of sheep, which as well as providing shelter for the livestock, means that no mechanical machinery is needed to maintain the length of the flora.

Our application to North Herts Council will include more detailed plans, along with a predicted Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), which we are confident will far exceed the statutory 10%.

Studies have debunked the myth that efficient modern solar farms pose a threat to UK food security. The UK Government’s Food Security Report, published in 2024 states “It is plausible that with continued growth in output and conducive market conditions, that food production levels could be maintained or moderately increased alongside the land use change required to meet our Net Zero and Environment Act targets and commitments.”

President for the National Farmer’s Union (NFU), Tom Bradshaw, agrees and condemns sensationalist claims about food security. “It’s a small amount of land which is being taken out of production”. In fact, more UK land is taken up by golf courses than solar farms. 

There would be a generous community benefit fund available, and we’re really keen to hear from the local community about the best way to use it.

Previous projects have seen a new perimeter fence for a SEND facility, tents and fluorescent vests for a scout group, football kits for a local league team, and agreements to provide renewable energy infrastructure for public buildings.

We are also happy to pay into a community endowment, which would continue to fund local projects in perpetuity, so the benefit would be felt well beyond the lifetime of the Site.

Please get in touch if there is a cause that you would like to nominate.  

Quite the opposite. We mount solar panels on C shaped pile-driven frames, so there is very little land disturbance. It’s estimated that less than 0.3% of the soil over-sailed by a solar farm is impacted. Combined with conservation grazing, it means that the soil quality is actually improved over the years, ready for when the land is returned to farming. 

Lightrock typically seek planning permission for 40 years. There is a legal requirement that the land is returned to its original use at the end of the lease, and money is set aside to ensure that the infrastructure can be quickly and easily removed. The land returns to farming as greenfield land, not brownfield, as is sometimes believed. 

We agree, and would like to see stronger planning legislation in this regard. Even if rooftops were utilised we would still need solar farms to meet the UK’s net zero requirements.

The design will be informed by the results of the pre-application consultation, as well as the surveys that are currently being undertaken. This data is constantly being fed to our design team, who have responded really positively to the feedback given to date.

Given the above, we wouldn’t like to say what the exact size or layout will be at this point, but detailed plans will be available when we submit our Town and Country Planning Application to North Herts Council.

Should the design phase take longer than anticipated then we will delay submission until we we’re satisfied with the quality of the design. We’d rather have a quality design than a quick application.

Natural habitat is a key focus for us, and we have partnered with the RSPB and Buglife to make sure we get it right. As well as reinforcing existing hedgerows and planting new ones, we plant trees, sow native grass and flower mixes and manage the field margins to provide habitat for pollinators and small birds and mammals.  

Amphibian habitat is retained and protected in existing hedges, ditches and ponds, and cuttings from around the site are used to make habitat piles for the benefit of invertebrates, small mammals and reptiles. Where there are local populations of barn owls we provide opportunities for them to nest onsite.  

Whilst the deer fencing is designed to keep deer away from the electrical equipment (for their safety and to prevent damage), roe deer are commonly found ‘inside the fence’ on solar farms and are quite content.  

The fencing has a 15cm gap at the base to allow small animals such as hedgehogs to pass under, and regular mammal gates for larger animals to enter and leave the site. 

Lightrock Power take ecology seriously. We have partnerships with both the RSPB and Buglife, who advise us on how to achieve the best gain for local wildlife. 

We also work with other wildlife organisations where relevant, such as the Wildlife Trusts and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. 

If you would like to talk to us about local wildlife please contact us.