Exagen has received planning approval for the 109MW Holly Lane Energy Park in the West Midlands, which includes a 34MWp solar farm and a 75MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The solar farm is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the annual consumption of 9,200 UK homes, and the project will provide a significant boost to local biodiversity, with a net gain of over 123% in habitat units, according to the developer.
This approval marks Exagen's third planning consent following the approval of 520MW of battery storage systems in Leicestershire and Gloucestershire in 2024. The planning application, which was submitted to both Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Warwick District Council in October 2023, will now proceed after an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.
Once operational, the project will contribute to the UK's renewable energy capacity, and it will be connected to the local substation through a buried cable. The 75MW BESS will be co-located with a new substation, adjacent to a 132kV overhead line crossing the eastern site.
Exagen has emphasized that the project has been designed to minimize visual impacts, with mature screening from hedges and set back from nearby residential properties. The project's accelerated grid connection date in 2027 is a key factor in its development timeline.
The Holly Lane solar farm will contribute 6% of the renewable energy capacity needed by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council to meet its net-zero target, according to Exagen. The council's January 2024 report showed a need for 430MW of renewable energy generation capacity by 2041, with only 10.6MW installed so far.
