Aura Power, an UK renewable energy developer, announced on Thursday the attainment of planning permission to proceed with the development of a 30-MW solar farm near Rayleigh in Essex County, southeast England.
This milestone comes after overcoming initial opposition from Rochford District Council's Development Committee last year, which raised concerns regarding the impact on the Green Belt. However, following the council's adoption of a climate action plan targeting 100 MW of renewable energy by 2030, the project received the green light.
George Wilyman, Head of Planning at Aura Power, expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating, “We are delighted with the Inspectors decision to grant planning permission. As recognized within the decision, this development will provide significant benefits to the local area, whilst also contributing towards national targets for renewable energy generation.”
The Rayleigh Solar Farm is poised to generate electricity to power over 11,000 homes, making strides towards sustainable energy solutions. Notably, Aura Power aims to construct the facility without relying on subsidies, demonstrating its commitment to economic viability and environmental sustainability.
In a parallel development, Aura Power secured GBP 10 million (USD 12.5m/EUR 11.6m) in debt financing from Novuna Business Finance to propel its ambitious 12-GW pipeline of utility-scale solar and battery energy projects on a global scale.
