Stream Solar - PACE Community Portal
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) has brought forward a proposal for the Stream Solar Farm. The project will create clean, renewable energy, on farmland off Stream Lane, approximately half a kilometre south of the village of Upleadon, Gloucestershire.
As you may know, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently issued stark warnings of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding, and rising temperatures requiring urgent action through a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The Government has committed to achieving “net zero carbon emissions” and to support this transition in little more than a decade.
The need for energy independence and security from global price fluctuations adds to the list of benefits of the UK producing clean energy.
Solar farms, such as that proposed off Stream Lane, are a key part of tackling the climate emergency and will form the backbone of the UK's zero-carbon energy infrastructure.
This website contains details of our proposals, but in summary:
Several sites were considered in the area. Steam Solar was selected as having minimal impact on the environment and is well-sited within the landscape, providing ecological benefits and not affecting any historic or heritage setting. Our archaeologist team, in liaison with County Archaeology, have also explored the site to ensure potential ancient heritage is protected.
The solar farm has been carefully designed to ensure the solar panels will not be visible from the settlements of Upleadon or Newent or create unacceptable views from surrounding areas.
The site presents significant opportunities for biodiversity improvements, including creating new habitats for birds and insects. It will not be necessary to remove any trees or hedges and the land beneath the panels will be available for grazing livestock as well as biodiversity improvements.
The construction period on a solar farm of this size would be around 15 weeks. Access to and from the fields will use existing farm gates on Stream Lane. The construction traffic will be controlled through an agreed plan with the Council and presented to the public for comments and suggestions during the consultation of the Planning Application. The short period ensures that any disturbance to other road users will be kept to a minimum.
As a result of the our work in selecting, designing and engaging with local partners, PACE believes the proposed development would be in keeping with the character of the area and would make a vital contribution to combating the growing danger of climate change.
Pathfinder Clean Energy brings together experience from the development, construction and operation of over 1GW of clean energy projects. This allows us to bring the latest best practices, technical solutions and innovation to our projects.
PACE is headquartered in the UK and is committed to a sustainable future. We are working to create low-carbon energy to the benefit of the environment and the community. Recent consented projects have included:
Our team includes ecologists, landscape and heritage specialists who help us to create environmentally friendly solar farms.
We would welcome suggestions from you as to how we can improve our project.
Solar farms are becoming a common feature in the British landscape. They use photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate energy from daylight and distribute it to homes and businesses.
They are necessary because coal power stations are closing and climate change commitments require big increases in renewable energy. Additionally, in line with the Government’s recently published energy security strategy, solar farms play an important role in providing stable energy security in times of global political energy turbulence.
Solar farms help reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels, helping to improve the UK’s energy security. This is particularly important as the demand for electricity for electric vehicles and heating grows.
The development will generate very little noise and will not be heard outside of the site.
At the end of its 40-year operational life, the site will be completely restored.
The proposed solar farm is located on land off Stream Lane, GL18 1EN. The closest settlement is Upleadon, half a kilometer to the North-East, while Malswick is over 1km to the South-West.
The PV arrays will be ground mounted in south facing rows. Neither the panels or the associated infrastructure will exceed 3m in height.
In addition to retaining all existing surrounding vegetation, the site will be planted with new native hedging to help reduce visibility from local public footpaths, roads and residents.
Below are computer generated images prepared by PACE to illustrate what the solar farm will look like. Use the slider below to see a recent photograph before (left) and expected view after development (right).
Once operational, solar farms generate almost no traffic. The construction period will last approximately 15 weeks.
The proposed route is to approach the site from the B4215 to the south, along Hook’s Lane as shown on the map.
The development will be connected to the local electricity grid via underground cable to the existing overhead line.
During construction, there may be some noise on some days. This won’t last long and our aim is to keep it to a minimum. Before development, we will agree on restrictions on working hours.
A management plan will be agreed upon with the Council in advance of construction, which will include details of how you can contact us in the event of a problem.
Click the image to enlarge, or download a high-res version here.
Stream solar farm will have the capacity to generate 6 megawatts of clean, renewable energy which will power the equivalent of over 2,600 UK households each year.
Solar power has become one of the most cost effective energy sources available. Therefore, it will be built without public subsidies.
Solar farms take up a very small proportion of the land they occupy, leaving huge scope for biodiversity. Research has shown they improve the diversity and abundance of broad-leaved plants, grasses, butterflies, bumblebees and birds, including those with conservation status. Details of the enhancements we will provide can be found in the graphic, and we would welcome your comments on this.
No agricultural land will be lost. Small livestock, such as sheep, can graze under and around the solar panels during operation, providing a dual benefit of agriculture and energy generation. The reduction in intensive agriculture and chemical fertilisers will naturally improve the quality of the soils, leaving them in a better condition at the end of the life of the solar farm.
The rapid construction time provides faster access to renewable power and lowers the nation’s carbon footprint, without creating harmful emissions or noise outside of the solar farm.
Engaging with the community is important to us and we welcome your feedback on our proposals, along with any suggestions you might have to improve them. Please fill out our survey here.
Following a review of the initial feedback, we have evolved our project plans and have now submitted a planning application to Forest of Dean District Council.
If approved, further design and management details usually need to be agreed before we can start building, such as construction management and ecological management plans.
PACE will then construct the solar farm. Most deliveries are completed in the first four weeks of a construction period that usually lasts 15 weeks.
You can view our planning application in full on the council’s website. The planning reference for this project is P1350/22/FUL.
We have commissioned a comprehensive set of surveys to help determine the site area and layout, so that impacts on residents can be minimised, and to identify opportunities for improving the proposals.
The surveys include:
We welcome you to take our short survey here. Alternatively, you can email us at communityrelations@streamsolar.co.uk or give us a call on 0800 3777 348 and we can arrange for someone to call you back.