Temporary Ludlow building compound could operate for two years as construction on solar farm gets underway
A temporary construction site could be in operation for up to two years to support the building of a huge new solar farm near Ludlow.
The scheme proposed by Bluefield Renewable Developments would see a temporary compound cleared on land to the west of the village of Caynham, around three miles from the planned Brick House Solar Farm on the outskirts of Ludlow.
Work on the 54-hectare solar farm development, which was approved in 2022, is due to get underway this year and developers say they expect it to take around 36 weeks to be completed, but have applied to Shropshire Council for two year consent for a construction compound in case of "unexpected delays".
The applicants say the site is needed for storage, as the access road for the solar farm will not be suitable for the number of movements by heavy goods vehicles(HGVs) required to deliver materials to the site.
As part of the proposals, deliveries would be dropped off at the compound, and a tractor and trailer would then transport them the remaining distance from the compound to the site.
Documents submitted with the application say "permeable gravel" will be used to cover the area, part of an agricultural field accessed off Caynham Road, which developers say will be fully reversible.
The plans also include "temporary facilities and welfare buildings" which could include toilets, a canteen and a site office. Space for a turning area for HGVs is also included in the scheme, with the whole area set to be protected with security fencing and CCTV cameras.
"Although the roads were deemed suitable for a small number of HGV movements for the substation and inverters... it is not a suitable access for the volume of HGVs required for all of the solar farm elements including the panels themselves," said a statement submitted with the plans.
"It was therefore proposed that the HGVs deliver materials to the site via the A49 access to an off-site compound so that the materials would be decanted, and a tractor and trailer would then transport the materials from the compound to the site.
"The already approved application set out that an off-site temporary construction compound will be required for the development, but at the time a site had not been identified. The proposed site fulfills the requirements for the temporary compound that were set out within the original application"
If the plans are approved, developers say the existing access point to the site off Caynham Road will be upgraded to "ensure the safe movement of HGVs", with an access gate set to be moved further back from the road than the existing one and a section of hedgerow also set to be cleared.
Shropshire Council will decide on the scheme after the end of the consultation period in February.
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