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The Green Hill Solar Farm (GHSF) is a proposal by Island Green Power to build a solar farm on farmland principally across Northamptonshire. This page provides quick access to available information, and a high-level summary of proposals and activities.
Websites Applicant Opposition Group Planning Inspectorate
Consultation 7 November – 19 December
GHSF have published a newsletter to accompany the Consultation.
Stop Green Hill Solar are planning a public event in Holcot during the consultation period – date tbc.
7 November – Consultation documents have now been published. Access them here.
The documents include;
- The main consultation document – the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) and a non-Technical summary (NTS) is provided. A printed copy of the PEIR and NTS is available at Moulton Library, digital version at Brixworth Library.
- The Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) which outlines the scheme and consultation
- A consultation feedback questionnaire – this includes details of completion and submission before 19 December.
- An information booklet and leaflet.
- Maps and other information are included in the documents area of the GHSF website
The scope of the consultation is based on the NTS/PEIR, and includes any matter that you think is important (including eg; cable search routes, community impacts, construction) that may or may not be included in the NTS/PEIR.
Holcot Parish Council will hold a meeting in December to discuss the proposals and form their response. All Parishioners will be invited to attend.
If you comment directly to GHSF, please consider sending a copy of your comments to our Parish Clerk (Ruby – clerk@holcotvillage.co.uk) to help inform the Council’s deliberations.
Consultation events
GHSF have added consultation events and their contact information to their website.
The public consultation events will be held:
| Date | Time | Location |
| Monday 18 November 2024 | 14:00 – 19:00 | Grendon Village Hall, Main Rd, Grendon, Northampton NN7 1JW |
| Saturday 23 November 2024 | 12:00 – 17:00 | Lavendon Village Hall, 22 High Street, Lavendon, Buckinghamshire MK46 4HA |
| Wednesday 27 November 2024 | 14:00 – 19:00 | Swanspool Pavilion, Swanspool Parade, Wellingborough, Northampton NN8 9SR |
| Saturday 7 December 2024 | 12:00 – 17:00 | Walgrave Village Hall, 1 Newland Road, Walgrave, Northampton NN6 9PZ |
Online webinars:
| Date | Time | Location |
| Wednesday 20 November | 18:00 – 19:00 | Webinar – register here |
| Tuesday 26 November | 18:00 – 19:00 | Webinar – register here |
| Wednesday 4 December | 12:30 – 13:30 | Webinar – register here |
About the proposal
The proposal would generate 500MW of solar power. The ‘Farm’ consists of several sites.
The Holcot site (B) is approximately 150 acres in the south of the Parish. The total area of the whole Farm is around 3000 acres (about 4 times the size of Pitsford reservoir).
The ‘Farm’ will house solar panels. These are around 4m high, and may be fixed or rotating. There will also be a battery hub (BESS) with other equipment. Cables have to be laid to connect the sites. We await the details of the proposed layout showing the details of each site which will be the subject of further consultation.
The sites are expected to take 2 years to build, with a lifetime expected to be 60 years. If approved, construction is expected to start in 2027.
The following is the Applicant’s overview map of sites forming the ‘Farm’. See their website for detailed maps.
The Holcot site (“Site B”) is on farmland to the south of the village on the footpath towards Overstone.
A little more detail of Site B (March 2024)
What has happened so far?
See the Planning Inspectorate website for full details of the planning process.
Early in the year GHSF held a few events aimed at engaging people, particularly interest groups and Councils. GHSF’s report.
At the same time, the Stop Green Hill Solar group formed. See a summary of their arguments.
Over the summer 2024, Parish Councils and other parties were asked by the Planning Inspectorate to comment on the scoping of an Environmental Impact Assessment. This is a process where the developer asks the Planning Inspectorate for opinion on the scoping of the assessment of the impacts of the proposals, and the Planning Inspectorate must consult interested parties (“Statutory Consultees”) and provide a response. This is important as it ensures that the developer considers the full implications of its proposals. Holcot Parish Council’s response to Planning Inspectorate Planning Inspectorate consolidated response to GHSF
The next step is a broad consultation which will run 7 November- 19 December 2024.