OnPath Energy chooses AECOM as lead consultant for South Yorkshire solar energy project
The Common Farm Solar Energy Park will bring a wide range of direct environmental, energy security and community benefits to the local area”
OnPath Energy has been granted planning permission to develop the Common Farm Solar Park. Solar energy alongside wind, will play a key role in achieving net-zero emissions for the UK in the coming decades.
This renewable energy project, located out the outskirts of Dinnington, South Yorkshire, will comprise a solar farm and battery storage, enabling us to collect and store renewable electricity and deliver it to the grid for use in homes and businesses. The site will also generate up to £50,000 in community funds each year and provide significant benefits for local wildlife.
49MW
generation capacity
18,800
homes powered by the site each year
11,470
tonnes of CO2 displaced each year
50MW
electricity storage onsite
£50,000
annual community benefit fund
About
Common Farm Solar Park was granted planning permission by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council in May 2023.
The south-facing Common Farm site was selected as offering the best opportunity to host a high-capacity solar farm that links directly into the nearby electricity substation. The local electricity grid has sufficient capacity to accommodate our proposed site, which will have a generation capacity of around 49MW.
Read on to discover the wide range of social, economic, and environmental benefits the Common Farm Solar Park will bring to the local community, while supporting the UK’s transition to renewable energy.
Key facts
Common Farm Solar Park
- Potential amount of electricity generated: Installed capacity of around 49MW which would provide enough electricity for approximately 18,800 homes each year.
- Potential electricity storage: Up to 50 MW
- Location: North of Todwick Road on the western approach into Dinnington
- Land used by solar panels: Approximately 116 hectares
- Current land use: Agriculture
- Lifespan: 40 years in operation
- Construction period 6-9 months
- Panel height: Up to 4.5m
- Connection to electricity grid: Thurcroft substation
- No closure or diversions of existing footpaths/bridleways necessary
- Traffic management during construction: Access to the site will be via Long road/Common Road
- Decommissioning: Infrastructure will be removed with the site returned to farm land at the end of the project
Environmental benefits
How Common Farm Solar Park will help the UK tackle climate change
By supplying solar-generated electricity to the grid, we can avoid the harmful burning of fossil fuels traditionally used to create electricity. We call this “displacement”. The Common Farm Solar Park will displace more than 11,000 tonnes of CO2 each year through the green energy it supplies. Every tonne of CO2 we can displace takes the UK further on its path to reaching net zero by 2050 – the crucial target for tackling climate change.
Environmental benefits
Our plans to help nature and biodiversity thrive at the site
We design all of our projects at OnPath to achieve the maximum positive benefits for wildlife and biodiversity. We call this the biodiversity “net gain”. We are committed to ensuring every project we create delivers a positive biodiversity net gain. This is part of the OnPath Promise to the environment.
At the Common Farm Solar Park, we will transform the ground beneath the solar panels into a wildflower meadow, creating a safe place where nature and wildlife can flourish.
We will increase the planting in hedgerows and field boundaries to enhance the visual landscape and further benefit local wildlife. Part of the site will be managed for the benefit of lapwing with other areas within the site being managed for Skylark – both a threatened species in the UK. As part of our plans, we conduct detailed ecological surveys and liaise with the Council and other relevant organisations to determine the specific enhancements tailored to every individual site.
Community benefits
How the local community benefits from the Common Farm Solar Park
When developing our project proposals, we aim to maximise the benefits for local residents. Common Farm Solar Park will create an annual community benefit fund of up to £50,000per year, and up to £2 million throughout the project’s lifetime.
Consultation work is continuing on how the annual package of benefits will best be used to support local community and environmental priorities. Just like our nearby Penny Hill Wind Farm Community Fund, we work with the local community to identify the priority projects and initiatives that we can support in the area. Please do get in touch using the form below and let us know how this fund could be used to support the communities around Dinnington.
Local groups in the area that have benefited from our existing projects include Treeton Community Centre, Swallownest Bowling Club and Ulley Sailing Club.
More information
Click on the links below to view more detailed information about the project and the site:
