Low Carbon launches consultation on proposals for Gate Burton Energy Park

Tue Jan 11 2022

Low Carbon has started an initial consultation exercise on its early-stage proposals to build a new solar and energy storage park on land near Gate Burton, Lincolnshire.

• Consultation launches with information postcards sent to thousands of local homes
• Communities encouraged to take the opportunity to share views on early-stage proposals for solar energy park and grid connection
• Developer inviting suggestions for local initiatives and projects it could support to benefit communities closest to the scheme

Low Carbon has started an initial consultation exercise on its early-stage proposals to build a new solar and energy storage park on land near Gate Burton, Lincolnshire.

The consultation will run from 11 January to 18 February 2022. During this time, Low Carbon wants to hear the views of communities living close to the site and those from the wider area on its emerging proposals for the scheme. It is also inviting suggestions for sustainable local projects and initiatives it could support to directly benefit those communities closest to the proposed energy park.

Mike Rutgers, Development Director at Low Carbon said: “This is a major milestone for Low Carbon. We have reached a point in our development process where we are able to share details of our early-stage proposals for Gate Burton Energy Park and start a conversation with local people to understand their thoughts on the scheme.”

“We're looking forward to using this consultation as an opportunity to start building a dialogue with the local communities so they can share their views on our work so far and help us to refine the project we take forward.”

The extent of the land available to deliver the Gate Burton Energy Park is contained within one site, located in the West Lindsay District near Gate Burton, Knaith Park and Willingham-by-Stow. The electricity generated by the energy park is expected to be imported and exported via a connection into the existing national electricity transmission system at National Grid's Cottam substation in Nottinghamshire.

The completed scheme has the potential to generate around 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity - enough clean energy to power over 160,000 homes and avoid more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.

The proposed energy park would also include an on-site energy storage system which would provide an important balancing service for the national grid and allow the renewable electricity generated by the panels to be stored on site at times when grid-demand is low, then exported at times of higher demand.

“Low Carbon is committed to having a lasting and positive impact on climate change,” explains Rutgers. “Gate Burton Energy Park would make a vital contribution by ensuring the supply of clean electricity to UK consumers when it is needed.”

“It's really important to us that as many people as possible take part in this consultation”, he continues. “In delivering our vision for the project we want to ensure that communities living and working in the area have a chance to inform and influence the development of our proposals from an early stage.”

The Gate Burton Energy Park project website www.gateburtonenergypark.co.uk has been updated to include information about its emerging proposals and enable people to submit comments online. In addition, nearly 8,000 postcards have been mailed to local homes and business across the area to let people know the consultation is taking place and signpost them to where they can find information about the project.

Individuals are also invited to come along to information events the developer is holding. Members of the project team will be on hand at events to answer any questions about the project, what is being consulted on and how people can take part.

“We're currently planning on holding five in-person and two online events over the course of the consultation period”, advises Bev Rodbard-Hedderwick, Low Carbon's Stakeholder Engagement and Community Relation Manager. “We'll continue to review the format for these in-person events in context of the evolving situation regarding Covid to decide whether they should proceed.”

“If we do decide to cancel any or all of the in-person events we will substitute them with additional online events, giving people as much notice as possible,” she continues. “In the meantime, the health and safety of the public and the project team is paramount and we're making provision to safeguard anyone choosing to attend an in-person event. I would however strongly recommend that people do check our project website in advance of attending an in-person event”.

People are encouraged to register their details on the project website to ensure they get updates about the consultation and events taking place direct as it becomes available.

For any enquiries related to the consultation period, or for general questions, the project team can be reached using any of the following methods:

• Freephone: 0800 860 6259
• Email: info@gateburtonenergypark.co.uk
• Post: FREEPOST GATE BURTON ENERGY PARK

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