There are two elements to the proposal. A solar farm which is proposed on land at Rhuddlan Road, to the northwest of Bodelwyddan, and a battery energy storage system (BESS) which is proposed on land adjacent to the west of Bodelwyddan substation, south of St Asaph Business Park.

The two elements of the project would be connected by an underground cable to the grid connection point at Bodelwyddan substation.

The site area for the solar farm is 168.95 hectares and the site area for the BESS is 6.52 hectares. The cable corridor is approximately 8km in length and 10m wide, although the width of the trench required for the cables within this area would be approximately 750mm.

When fully operational, the proposed solar farm would be able to produce up to 110MW of electricity. The proposed energy storage system (BESS) would be able to store up to 110MW of electricity.

Energy generated from Bodelwyddan Solar and Energy Storage will go into the National Grid.

No. The land will be leased from the landowner for the operational period of the solar farm and BESS.

Bodelwyddan Solar and Energy Storage will produce up to 110MW of electricity produced by solar panels, which can power the equivalent of 26,657 homes, saving 35,569 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. The BESS will be able to store 110MW of energy to be released into the grid when needed.

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been undertaken to assess the potential effects that Bodelwyddan Solar and Energy Storage will have on the landscape. The assessment has considered views from nearby properties and public vantage points such as footpaths and roads. As a result of this assessment, as well as conversations with nearby residents, solar panels have been pushed back from some properties immediately bordering the site, and landscaping features have been included to reduce visual impact.

An Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey has been carried out and concludes that 93% of the solar site and 100% of the BESS site is Grade 3b non-BMV land. Circa 6.8% of the solar site consists of Grade 3a BMV land.

Solar is a passive form of energy production that emits little if any pollution of any kind (noise, light, chemical etc.) The BESS and other electrical infrastructure may emit low levels of noise. A noise study has been undertaken to assess noise levels and the noise levels at sensitive receptors near to the Solar and BESS Sites were predicted to be compliant at BS 8233:2014 criteria during both the daytime and night-time periods.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) records show the Site is located within Flood Zone C1, which is served by significant flood defence infrastructure, and Flood Zone A, which has the lowest risk of flooding.

A flood risk assessment has been undertaken to assess the need for flood protection measures. This assessment has been undertaken in accordance with the scope agreed with NRW and the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) through consultation. The transition from agricultural land to solar farm with year-round grass cover would result in a reduction in the use of chemicals, fertilisers or animal densities on the site. In turn, this will also improve the way the Site absorbs rainfall, meaning less surface water runoff.

Only very limited hardstanding would be used, in the form of isolated containers. Where the containers are dispersed, rain falling on them would be directed to the ground locally to mimic existing conditions. Flooding at the solar site would be limited to very extreme flooding, or if local defences were to fail, so is very unlikely to occur. The Proposed Development would manage flood risks appropriately by raising the level of the panels so they are above the predicted flood levels.

Containerised infrastructure in the solar site (including the inverters and switchroom) would be located in areas of shallowest extreme flooding where possible. They would also be raised to further reduce the chance of them flooding. Finally, during the detailed designs, efforts to make them waterproof will be considered.

At the BESS site, a formal drainage strategy that stores rainwater, would release it as slowly as is possible into the local watercourse network. The BESS compound would be in an elevated position so it would be well above predicted flooding.

The Flood Risk and Drainage Assessments concludes that with the mitigation in place, the impacts to and from the Proposed Development (at both the Solar and BESS Sites) would be negligible.

This project will provide a Community Benefit Fund, should it receive consent. We welcome your views on what local projects or initiatives the Fund could be used for during this consultation stage.