A solar farm and battery storage site is proposed for fields near Evenwood. Permission has already been granted to build a large solar energy site at Bluestone Farm, but Qair is proposing an even bigger one at nearby Bucks Head Farm. The new proposal would cover about 73 football pitches. Although a planning application is yet to be submitted, two public consultation meetings have already been held. It is believed the solar farm would occupy about 52 hectares (128.5 acres). If the scheme goes ahead, Qair says it will be capable of exporting up to 41.5MW of electricity to the grid and importing up to 21MW for battery storage.
Over a dozen people attended Evenwood and Barony Parish Council’s meeting on 10th March to express their concerns. A resident said: “It is going to be there apparently for 40 years, so you are looking at different generations. We are looking at people growing up in that environment and who wants batteries the size of this room in fields, all lined up? You have to think about the long-term impact upon this community and it is going to be devastating.”
The issue is also being looked into by Evenwood’s county councillor Robert Potts, who said: “A number of people approached me and voiced concerns regarding the project. Just to clarify, this project does not already have planning permission. In fact, Qair informed me .. that they do not plan on submitting a planning application until about the end of May [2026]. As the Evenwood county councillor, I currently have the ability to ask for projects like this one to be called to a full planning committee and that will happen for this project.”
Published: 17/04/2026 Published by: Evenwood & Barony Parish Council
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