No basis seen for challenging UK's 350-MW Cleve Hill solar project nod

Advisers to the UK’s Swale Borough Council have concluded that no legal grounds exist on challenging the government’s recent approval of the up to 350-MW Cleve Hill subsidy-free solar-plus-storage complex in England.

The council said on Friday that it has obtained legal advice on initiating a potential judicial review process that would seek to overturn the consent issued to Cleve Hill Solar Park Ltd -- a joint venture of Hive Energy and Wirsol Energy Ltd.

The Cleve Hill solar and battery complex will see around 800,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels installed near Faversham and Whitstable on the North Kent Coast in South East England. The green light for the development was granted by the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma at the end of May. The Swale Borough Council was considering a judicial review to protect wildlife habitats.

The overall investment in the scheme is estimated at GBP 450 million (USD 569.8m/EUR 502.8m).

The project developer will now have to submit proposals to the council on certain requirements that need to be met according to the planning approval. Some of them are related to landscape and biodiversity issues.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.266/EUR 1.117)

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