EDF Renewables’ 50MW Bloy’s Grove solar farm gets green lightEDF Renewables’ 50MW Bloy’s Grove solar farm gets green light

Bloy's Grove is the latest in a slew of 50MW solar projects being pursued by the renewable development arm of French energy giant EDF in the UK and Ireland. Image: EDF Renewables.

EDF Renewables has been given the green light to develop its 49.9MW Bloy’s Grove solar farm by South Norfolk District Council.

Situated between the villages of Swainsthorpe and Mulbarton, just south of Norwich, the planning application for the solar farm was submitted in October 2021.

It is one of a slew of 50MW projects being developed by EDF Renewables, including 49.9MW Burwell site in South East Cambridgeshire and the 49.9MW Porth Wen site in Anglesey, which are both at the site preparation and construction phase.

In May, EDF submitted a planning application for a 49.9MW solar farm in Northamptonshire, while in April construction of the 49.9MW Sutton Bridge Solar Farm began.

Along with Bloy’s Grove, the company submitted a planning application for its 49.9MW Tye Lane solar farm in 2021, and in July of last year it opened a public consultation for its 49.9MW East Stour solar farm.

“EDF Renewables UK is pleased to have been granted planning permission to construct a solar farm at Bloy’s Grove, a 50 MW project capable of generating enough clean, green electricity for around 14,000 homes,” said EDF Renewables’ head of development Darren Cuming.

“We will now work closely with the local community and the council to plan the next steps towards construction and operation. EDF Renewables UK wants to be a good neighbour; we will construct, own and operate the solar farm for the lifetime of the project, we are offering a £20,000 per year community benefit fund, and we are planning significant biodiversity improvements on site, including a community orchard.  We will liaise with local residents on all these matters.”

The sites currently under development or construction by EDF Renewables in the UK and Ireland include: