Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, has signed the development consent order for the 165MW Stonestreet Green Solar development near Ashford in Kent.
The developer, Evolution Power, said that the array will have capacity to power 42,000 homes.
Dismissing concerns about losing valuable farmland in the Garden of England, Evolution Power said that the 474-acre site was 鈥減redominately lower grade agricultural land鈥� and added: 鈥淩emoval of this land from intensive farming use will reduce nitrate impact on the East Stour River and surrounding waterways.鈥�
Conor McNally, director of Evolution Power Limited, said: "Evolution Power welcomes the decision by the secretary of state for energy security and net zero to grant a development consent order for the Stonestreet Green Solar project, following a recommendation to approve from the Planning Inspectorate.
"Stonestreet Green Solar will make a significant contribution towards the UK鈥檚 Clean Power 2030 targets, whilst also providing 99.9MW of co-located battery storage capacity. We look forward to progressing the project in due course."
For those who cannot picture 474 acres, it is about 280 full size football pitches (association football, that is), or about the size of the entire Disneyland resort in California, including parks and hotels.
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