Plans for 'pioneering' renewable energy park near Leighton Buzzard resubmitted

Plans for a “pioneering renewable energy park” in the greenbelt, south-east of Leighton Buzzard, have been resubmitted to Central Bedfordshire Council, without the housing and commercial elements.

Around 295 homes were included originally, of which about 90 would have been affordable properties, with an aspiration to build ten specialist almshouses for the town.

The new scheme on 27 acres of land by the A505 southern bypass would generate 6.438m kWhours a year, according to a planning statement on behalf of applicant Arnold White Group.

This site forms part of the applicant’s larger landholdings on the outskirts of the town, and the majority is in agricultural use as pastureland with areas of scrubland, hedgerows and a number of farm tracks, said the Arrow Planning Limited statement.

The development includes a wind turbine, an electric vehicle charging station, a solar array, a battery energy storage system (BESS) and transformers.

It also features land for a new exit point to the National Grid, a roundabout from the A505, temporary construction compounds, parking and other infrastructure.

Astral Green’s estimated electricity production is 4.160m kWhours a year from the 1.5MW wind turbine and 2.278m kWhours annually from the 2.09MW solar array, explained the planning statement.

“This application will create a modest amount of jobs during construction and once operational, some in a coffee outlet.

“It’s important to ensure that the electricity used to charge cars is derived from renewable sources. The Astral Green electric vehicle station will supply green energy by direct wire from the new energy park.

“It can charge up 14 electric vehicles at a time, in about 15 to 20 minutes, with 14 ultra-rapid chargers. Astral Green is designed to help meet both local and national targets by generating its energy through on-site renewable technologies.

“The estimated annual electricity production from the proposed energy park is 6.4m kWhours, equivalent to 100 per cent of the annual electricity needs of 1,619 average Central Bedfordshire homes.

“After the charging station needs have been met, the remaining energy supply from the park for export is predicted to amount to 4.4m kWhours. This is equivalent to meeting the annual needs of 1,112 average local homes.

“Landscaping and new planting will help support biodiversity in the area, and contribute to environmental benefits and supporting wildlife with a significant net gain in biodiversity.”

A previous application was refused because of “the absence of an acceptable transport assessment”, added the report.

“The plans ‘failed to show the residual cumulative impacts of the development on the local and strategic highway network wouldn’t be severe and unacceptable’.

“This application differs from the previous proposals in highways terms because of the absence of the residential and commercial development, with a significantly reduced impact on the local road network.

“As well as the 14 parking spaces for electric vehicle charging, including two disabled bays, there are 18 non-charging spaces.

“The site is potentially accessible from Astral Lake by pedestrians and cyclists, but this isn’t intended because of the nature of the scheme.

“The development would result in a long-term temporary adverse effect on the landscape of about 40 years duration.”

CBC’s development management committee is due to consider the project in February.