Plans revealed for huge solar park across six sites along the M4

If approved, the Lime Down Solar Park would be built at six locations in the Sherston, Hullavington, and Stanton St Quintin areas of Wiltshire, north of the M4 and south of Malmesbury.

International developer Island Green Power says the large new solar farm would generate enough clean energy to power around 115,000 homes.

Solar panels would be erected at the sites to generate energy, which would then be connected to the National Grid at Melksham Substation through underground cabling.

One of the options for new cable search corridors being considered by the developers would see the infrastructure being installed alongside the A350 near Chippenham, although this plan has not yet been finalised.

Because the capacity of the proposed development is over 50 megawatts, the project is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.

This means permission for the scheme will need to come from the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, rather than Wiltshire Council.

The areas in Wiltshire where the proposed solar park would be built (Image: Lime Down Solar Park)

It is not expected that construction would start before 2027, if consent was granted.

The plans are currently in a stage one consultation, running until April 26, which will be followed by a second consultation period on updated proposals this winter.

Residents and local stakeholders have been urged to give feedback on the early plans during this time, to help shape the final scheme.

They can do so by attending a number of online webinars or in-person drop-in sessions across the affected villages.

Full details of these events can be found on the Lime Down Solar Park website.

Protect development manager Natasha Worrall said: “We are excited to bring forward these plans for Lime Down Solar Park to provide a significant amount of clean electricity for business and homes in the region and support national and regional aims to decarbonise our electricity systems and bolster our energy security.

“As well as providing clean electricity which helps us move away from polluting fossil fuels, it is our ambition to design the project in a way that also boosts and enhances local wildlife by delivering a net gain in biodiversity.

“We are dedicated to responsible land use and believe that the development and delivery of utility-scale farms can coexist harmoniously with their environment.

“We also believe those communities closest to the proposed development should benefit from it.”