PLANS are being drawn up for a solar farm on about 9.6 hectares of land at the former Risley Landfill Site.
The scheme has not yet been formally submitted to Warrington Borough Council, but planners have indicated that an environmental impact assessment is not required as part of the application.
Warrington Borough Council planners have been told the solar farm would produce up to about five megawatts of electricity at maximum capacity and would be operational for up to 25 years.
The planning application will include a number of technical reports including:
• Planning Statement (including Design and Access Statement);
• Ecological Assessment including Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, wintering bird, breeding bird and reptile surveys;
• Biodiversity Net Gain Report;
• Flood Risk Assessment;
• Landscape and Visual Assessment;
• Glint and Glare Assessment; and
• Transport Statement and Management Plan.
The site, off Silver Lane, Risley, is about 1.3km from Risley Moss Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and 1.5km from Holcroft Moss SSSI, about 1.3km from both the Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve and the Manchester
Mosses Special Area of Conservation.
However, the development is unlikely to have any impact on these sites.
3 Comments
The idea behind the landfill site was that on completion it would be landscaped which it has been and open to the public for leisure time, walking etc not for a solar panel farm. The agreement was made between Biffa and Warrington Borough Council I for one would expect both parties to honour that agreement
I wouldn’t worry too much.
As this is not a WBC proposal and the fact the site sits within the borough there isn’t really any incentive for WBC to approve, even with their declared climate emergency.
The site and the neighbouring pools are fantastic for wildlife, and are an unusual habitat in this area. Having just lost the field NE of M62/J11 to an unnecessary service station, it would be devastating to lose this area NW of that junction too