Construction date set for major solar farm near Gainsborough after buyer agreed

A buyer has been announced for a solar farm near Gainsborough, with construction set to start in 2027.

EDF Power Solutions UK has bought the Gate Burton project, which would cover 1,690 acres south of Gainsborough.

The 500MW project was granted planning permission by Secretary for Energy Ed Miliband shortly after Labour came to power last year.

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EDF, which is owned by the French government, expects to begin construction in 2027, and says consultation will begin with local communities.

Plans for the Gate Burton solar farm near West Lindseyplaceholder image
Plans for the Gate Burton solar farm near West Lindsey

The plans were among those that triggered the creation of the 7,000 Acres campaign group, opposing large-scale solar farms on farmland in West Lindsey.

Low Carbon originally designed the project which would be capable of delivering energy to power 160,000 homes.

Although critics have previously shared fears that the electricity produced would be exported, EDF says it will go into the National Grid for homes and businesses in the region.

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EDF also owns the Springwell solar farm project, between Lincoln and Sleaford, which is currently being weighed up by the government’s Planning Inspectors.

Matthew Boulton, Director of Solar, Storage and Private Wire for EDF power solutions UK, said: “This is a great example of how we are scaling up solar and storage to meet the UK’s future energy needs — creating jobs, supporting local communities, and delivering clean, affordable power.

“We’re excited to bring this project into our growing portfolio and look forward to speaking with members of the local community throughout the next phase of the project prior to construction.”

Roy Bedlow, founder and chief executive at Low Carbon, said: “We are delighted to finalise this agreement with EDF power solutions.

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“This milestone marks the next step forward for Gate Burton, one of the first large-scale solar projects to be consented by Ed Miliband following last year’s general election, and will help put the UK on the path to achieving its Clean Power 2030 ambition.”

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