BayWa r.e. has successfully navigated the rigorous Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) process and received planning approval from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, for Oaklands Farm Solar Park. The project, located in South Derbyshire, will generate enough renewable electricity to supply approx. 35,000 homes, whilst delivering economic, environmental, and community benefits to the local area.
The NSIP framework - reserved for infrastructure projects of national importance - is the most complex and thorough approval pathway in the UK. For Oaklands Farm Solar Park, a Scoping Request was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in 2021, and the project has subsequently been through three years of refinement: from detailed technical assessment and extensive consultation with local stakeholders to preparing and submitting the final consent application in February 2024. The application was accepted and entered a six-month formal examination led by the Planning Inspectorate, resulting in further refinement of the project before the examination was closed in December 2024. Few renewable energy developers have successfully navigated this process, reinforcing BayWa r.e.’s track record in delivering high-quality, strategically significant renewable projects.
Christine McGregor, Managing Director at BayWa r.e. UK Ltd, commented: 'Oaklands Farm Solar Park marks our fourth planning approval this year, bringing our total of consented solar power in 2025 to 235 MW and reinforcing our role as a leading renewable developer in the UK. The project will add meaningful renewable capacity in the near term, helping to accelerate the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. Equally important has been our commitment to community consultation, which has shaped the project at every stage. We deeply value local engagement and have listened closely to stakeholders to ensure the development delivers lasting benefits to South Derbyshire while respecting the local landscape.'
Daniel Gäfke, COO at BayWa r.e., said: 'Securing NSIP approval for Oaklands Farm Solar Park is a pivotal achievement that reinforces BayWa r.e.’s leading position as a developer of renewable energy projects. This process demands the highest standards of planning, environmental stewardship, and stakeholder engagement, and we are proud to have met these benchmarks in the UK.'
Responding to community feedback, important refinements have been made to the project to both conserve and enhance the local area; changes made include diverting heavy construction traffic away from local villages, carefully considered landscaping measures, and a new public footpath to expand the recreational use of the area. The project will also provide material local investments, comprising a community benefit fund of over £2 million and up to £9 million in local business rates paid over its lifespan. Over 110 full-time equivalent jobs will be required to support construction, procured in line with a bespoke Skills, Supply Chain and Employment Plan.
With £20 million of construction expenditure directly into the UK, the project aims to reinforce domestic industry supply chains. Additionally, the site will maintain its existing agricultural use throughout operation, with sheep grazing among the solar panels. Further environmental commitments within the project include delivering major biodiversity gains, with up to 125% net gain in habitat units, and enhancing the local skylark population with the provision of 38 new breeding plots.
With construction scheduled to begin in 2026, Oaklands Farm Solar Park marks a defining moment in the UK’s renewable transition - demonstrating BayWa r.e.’s capability in successfully moving large scale energy infrastructure projects through the most demanding planning process in the UK.
Background
- Oaklands Farm Solar Park is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), progressed through the Planning Act 2008 process. The project covers approximately 191 hectares between Rosliston and Walton-on-Trent and was granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in [date to be inserted] June 2025.
- NSIPs are large-scale infrastructure developments in sectors such as energy, transport, and water that are considered nationally important. They follow a rigorous examination process involving formal consultation with communities, local planning authorities and other relevant stakeholders, led by the Planning Inspectorate with a final decision made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Once the application is accepted for Examination, it typically takes 16 months to reach a determination.
- Clean Power 2030 Action Plan 2030 CP2030 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-power-2030-action-plan
Based on current assumptions (pre-construction phase)
- The project will deliver approximately 140 MW of solar generation and 37.5 MW of batterystorage, supplying renewable electricity equivalent to the needs of 35,000 households. [Calculated based on DESNZ annual GB average domestic household consumption of 3,239kWh kWh: number of megawatts installed, multiplied by a site specific load factor expressed as a fraction of 1, multiplied by number of hours in a year, divided by average annual domestic electricity consumption expressed in MWh.]
- The project includes a community benefit fund of over £2 million over the lifetime of the project (paid annually) supporting local initiatives, environmental enhancements and community organisations.
- Once operational, Oaklands Farm Solar Park is expected to contribute up to £9 million in business rates to the local council over the lifetime of the project to support local services.
- The project will support around 114 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, of which 50 FTE jobs would be generated in the local economy. Approximately 91 additional indirect and induced FTE jobs will be created, with an estimated indirect economic benefit of £170,000 for the local economy through construction worker spend.
- Local Business Support: supporting the existing dairy business on the Site with diversified income from annual land rental payments whilst still enabling an income to be generated from the grazing of sheep amongst the solar panels through the life of the Proposed Development.
- An estimated £80 million in construction expenditure, of which £20 million would be retained within the UK (the majority of non-UK construction expenditure consists of specialist components not produced in the UK).
- Improving Recreation: creating a new footpath to improve the connectivity of the Public Rights of Way (“PRoW”) network, offering new access to land that provides safe walking routes between the villages of Walton-on-Trent and Rosliston via the Cross Britain Way and other existing footpaths.
- Environmental commitments include securing a significant biodiversity net gain (BNG): with a minimum of 20% in habitat units, 10% in hedgerow units and 10% in river units, through a comprehensive scheme of landscaping and biodiversity improvements around the Site.
- Improving Habitats for Pollinators: across a large area, which is currently intensively farmed, by establishing grassland and wildflower meadow throughout the site and increasing pollinator populations resulting in wider biodiversity benefits to flora and fauna on and off-site.
- Skylark Population Enhancement: Delivering a substantial enhancement to the skylark population through the provision of up to 38 new skylark plots on land adjacent to the site.
- The grid cabling from the site to Drakelow substation will be buried underground. Originally the proposal utilised overhead lines, but this was changed due to stakeholder consultation and assessment through the development process.
Source: BayWa r.e.
