Monday 15 January 2024

County Durham approves solar farm on former coal site

County Durham has approved a new solar farm project on a former coal mining site.

Bluefield Renewable Developments, a UK-based renewable energy company, has secured permission to establish a 49.9MW solar farm at Bluestone Farm.

The site, once used for open cast and deep coal mining, has transformed from its industrial past.

The solar farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 13,000 households annually.

During the council committee's deliberations, Councillor Jonathan Elmer expressed his support, calling the application "really impressive."

Councillor Patricia Jopling said: “I do sometimes question solar farms but having looked at this one and where it is…I don’t honestly think, when you look right across the landscape, that its going to make a huge difference.”