Construction and Operation
Construction update
Construction activity began on site in October. We are now a significant way through the construction period, with over 60% of piling completed – this is the process of driving poles into the ground to create a foundation for the solar panels.
We have also completed cladding of the control room on site, completed much of the framing across the site, and completed 70% of earth nests.
During the current phase of construction, we expect up to four deliveries a day from Monday to Thursday each week. This phase is expected to last until Thursday 13 August.
The project team is aware that there have been some instances where our contractors and suppliers have not followed approved construction traffic routes. We take this seriously, and apologise if this has caused any inconvenience. We have addressed these issues directly with corrective actions, and continue to reinforce our requirements with anyone accessing the site.
General construction information
No site clearance or construction works, including the starting of machinery or delivery of materials shall take place outside of the following hours:
- Monday to Friday: 08:00 – 18:00
- Saturday: 08:00 – 13:00
Construction is managed from a temporary site compound at the southern end of the site, providing facilities for on-site staff and allowing construction materials to be stored safely
Our generators on site are powered by Solartainers, solar-powered generators, which helps keep our carbon footprint as low as possible and minimise noise
Our construction route can be found above. This route has been carefully considered to minimise disruption to local residents, and address concerns raised during public consultation regarding capacity of Bakers Road.
We removed an initial proposal for a second construction compound to the north-east of the site, to avoid traffic diverting along Hickford Hill.
What’s next?
We are continuing to work towards completing piling and framework on site, after which the solar panels can be installed.
Once the site is operational, it is anticipated that there will only be low levels of traffic accessing the site for maintenance purposes. It is therefore expected that the largest volume of traffic will be associated with the construction phase of the project.
