Solar farm proposed to power prison
'There will be an inevitable change to the external appearance of the field in which the solar farm is proposed'
A solar farm has been proposed to help power a Staffordshire Moorlands prison.
A planning application has been submitted to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council by Mark Jackson on behalf of The Ministry Of Justice for the installation of photovoltaic panels and the associated site infrastructure and erection of fence on land adjacent to HM Young Offenders Institute, Ash Bank Road, Werrington, Staffordshire.
A landscape opinion report submitted with the application, said: “A ground mounted PV generation system is proposed for HMP Werrington. Generation capacity has been sized for no export of power, with HMP Werrington consuming all energy generated.
“The panels shall be mounted in a portrait configuration, two modules on top of each other in groups of 20 panels, facing south. Work angle to be between 20 and 35 degrees. The minimum row separation to be four metres. The top of the PV panels in this configuration will be less than three metres above ground level.
“The inverters and AC and DC isolators shall be located on a concrete base within the location of the solar panels. A feeder pillar shall be located next to the inverters, housing a distribution board and other electrical switch gear to allow for a single SWA cable connection to the site’s main switchboard.
“The fencing will be high welded mesh fencing to perimeter of the PV panel installation. A gate and crossover for the access road will be located on the north-eastern corner edge of the site. A second gate will be located directly in front of the equipment switch gear.
“The access route will follow the route of an existing farm track. A cable will be laid on the opposite side of the access path to the prison’s security fence and connected to the main HMP Werrington switchboard.
“There will be an inevitable change to the external appearance of the field in which the solar farm is proposed. However, once the additional hedgerow and tree planting has established and begun to mature there will be no material change to the premises when viewed from outside the site.”
A preliminary ecological appraisal also submitted with the application, said: “The Ministry of Justice is seeking to power the prison site through the development of a ground-mounted solar farm within the site.
“The site supported a small area of suitable habitat, a hedgerow, for reptiles to forage and shelter. The longer grassland sward along the base of the hedgerow would also provide suitable habitat for reptiles to forage.”
A decision is expected by planners within the next eight weeks.
