Community Walk Planned as Huge Solar Farm Proposed

A major renewable energy scheme is being proposed for the former Desborough Airfield.

The large solar farm, with tens of thousands of panels across the 630-acre site, would generate enough electricity to power around 32,000 homes.

Developer Innova Renewables has launched a public consultation ahead of submitting a planning application.

Members of the Friends of the Airfield and the Valley (FAV) group are holding a walk tomorrow as part of a national day of action for nature, parks and green spaces.

The group says the walk is intended to highlight concerns over potential impacts on wildlife, biodiversity and wider green spaces, and will gather at Wilbarston before heading onto the airfield for a guided walk with an historian and a naturalist.

FAV, which describes itself as a cross-community group, has been monitoring the proposals for both a solar farm and battery energy storage system at the site.

Ann Dowling has organised it:

Innova says the scheme would support the UK’s transition to net zero and increase renewable energy supply to the National Grid.

A spokesperson said the site was selected following a detailed assessment of environmental, planning and grid factors, and added that design work is ongoing ahead of a full planning application.

The company also says the scheme would include landscaping, habitat creation and the use of native species to deliver biodiversity benefits, with the majority of the site remaining as grassland between and around the solar arrays.

The plan follows on from another proposal for a solar farm across the site that was approved in 2015, but not progressed.

People wanting to join in the walk have been asked to meet at the junction of Rushton Road and Springfield Road in Wilbarston by 2pm on Saturday.

The group will then walk and gather on the airfield at 2.30pm at the hanger nearest to the Rushton Road entrance for a guided walk with an airfield historian and a naturalist.