Elements Green make changes to Great North Road Solar Park plans near Newark following public feedback to boost biodiversity, working with RSPB, Sherwood Forest Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, and The Trent Rivers Trust

The developers behind plans to build one of Britain’s biggest solar parks in Newark and Sherwood have said they are listening to residents’ concerns.

Elements Green is currently in the process of finalising plans for the Great North Road Solar Park, which would see around 1.5m panels built on farmland surrounding villages to the north of Newark.

During initial consultations, a major concern among respondents was the loss of wildlife habitat and the industrialisation of rural landscapes, as well as a strong desire to protect and enhance the natural environment.

Now, the developers say they have taken steps to directly address this by committing to the use of 850 acres of land dedicated solely to ‘positive ecological management’.

This comes off the back of a brand new partnership formed between Elements Green and a number of leading environmental groups in Nottinghamshire.

The RSPB, Sherwood Forest Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, and The Trent Rivers Trust, have all been invited to contribute their ideas to the project with the goal of lessening the impact of development, and where possible, ensuring that nature benefits from it.

Other suggestions now being worked into the scheme include the planting of 50,000 new trees, establishing wetlands areas, and putting 25km of new hedgerow into place for the benefit of biodiversity and to help combat pre-existing flood issues in the area.

Partners will play an important role in designing this new woodland, and 20km of new permissive footpaths will also be incorporated into the scheme.

With the new direction comes a new name, the ‘Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park’. But the developers insist that the changes are about more than just publicity.

Speaking to the Advertiser, project director Mark Noone, said: “This is us holding our feet to the fire and saying ‘we are listening’.

“This project is classed as nationally significant by the government, and that holds a large amount of weight.

“Regardless, our approach is to engage extensively with the local community and listen to their concerns.

“We wanted to address those important concerns, and what we are doing is something very unique for a developer.

“By listening to these organisations, we have access to the expertise of those that know what is best for the area and how to improve it.

“We want to be a good neighbour — we know that we will never satisfy everyone but I think there is appreciation of what we are trying to do.”

He added: “The new project name, the planned measures, and the partnership commitments, crystallise our unwavering commitment to creating a cleaner, greener, Newark and Sherwood.”

Charlotte Martin-Taylor, head of business conservation advice at the RSPB, said the partnership was a chance to unite and “address the urgent biodiversity and climate crises”.

She added: “Together, we will be working on Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park, a project that aims to combine renewable energy with habitat restoration at a landscape scale and deliver conservation opportunities for priority species.

“This collaboration highlights the vital role businesses can play as allies for nature, creating a future where both wildlife and clean energy thrive.”

The total land area due to be turned over for development is set at approximately 7,000 acres. However, just 3,990 acres will actually have solar panels stationed on them, with the remaining acreage used for running hidden cables.

Additional biodiversity measures include the use of wildflowers and grasses, which will be left to grow in fields containing solar panels, and the trees will be used as natural screening.

It is said that once fully operational, the park would be capable of producing enough green energy to power 400,000 homes — and as a nationally significant infrastructure project will be presented to government for approval.

Just 16% of residents who responded to the first round of public consultation earlier this year actually backed the plans, with many more expressing confusion and opposition due to how it could affect the rural communities in which they live.

Others were undecided and said that changes would have to be made to the proposals before they could offer their full support — Elements Green held a public solar farm tour earlier this year where they attempted to demonstrate how a live solar site operates and dispel misconceptions.

The plans currently in the pre-application stage and are officially due to be submitted in late summer 2025. A second round of consultations will take place in the new year.

If approved, construction could begin in 2027, with the park expected to be operational two years later.