Hedgehog Grove Solar Farm: FAQs

The proposed development would include the construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of a grid connected solar farm facility. Located between Felsted and Bartholomew Green, the site would have the capacity to generate up to 98 MW of electricity, enough to power over 45,000 typical family homes per year*.

The emissions savings are equivalent to removing over 15,000 cars from the roads, or over 32,000 tonnes of CO2e.**

This project is in its early stages and we are committed to ensuring our proposals are sensitive to the local area and the environment.

*Presuming a 15% capacity/load factor across a single year, based upon average domestic electricity consumption per home (temperature corrected) as per Energy Consumption in the UK (published September 2024, Table C9 of ECUK: Consumption data tables).

**This assumes no emissions associated with the solar PV generation.

There are several factors that influence the location of a solar farm. The proposed development will have a limited environmental impact and can be connected to the electricity grid at Braintree substation. Obtaining voluntary land agreements for the main solar site is also a key influencing factor for the siting of the proposed development.

Under a previous developer, the land parcels that form the site were originally selected with the intention of securing planning permission for two separate solar farms.

The Project team has continued to review land requirements since acquiring the projects from the previous developer, leading to the introduction of additional land parcels. As such, the previous two sites have now been combined to form one site.

The site will be 98 MW, located between Felsted and Bartholomew Green, enough to power over 45,000 typical family homes per year (Based upon average domestic electricity consumption per home (temperature corrected) as per Energy Consumption in the UK (published September 2024, Table C9 of ECUK: Consumption data tables)*.

This equates to an emissions saving equivalent to removing over 15,000 cars from the roads, or over 32,000 tonnes of CO2e.**

*Presuming a 15% capacity/load factor across a single year.

**This assumes no emissions associated with the solar PV generation.

Panel technology is rapidly evolving and therefore procurement decisions and final specification of individual elements are typically taken receiving consent. However we estimate that the project will likely require approximately 200,000 to 210,000 solar panels based on currently available technology. 

The Hedgehog Grove Solar Farm is only temporary and will be decommissioned and returned to full agricultural land once it’s come to the end of its useful life, in approximately 30 years.

We are in the process of putting together some visualisations and will share these with you as soon as we can to help you visualise how the site will look from different viewpoints.

We have been running a targeted Community Liaison Group to seek input and feedback, as well as receiving initial feedback on the proposals. We are holding our consultation period from 2nd 8th September – 6th October 2025, and our events on 22nd September 2025 at Felsted Memorial Hall, Braintree Rd, Felsted, Dunmow CM6 3DY from 11.00-16.00, and on 23rd September 2025 at Rayne Village Hall, 3 Gore Rd, Rayne, Braintree CM77 6TX from 13.00-18.00.

Feedback was given to the previous developer, but now that we have one single combined project with additional land parcels, the project has evolved, and we would like to understand views on the revised project proposals. We are, however, streamlining engagement and consultation, keeping it focused and proportionate to minimise consultation fatigue.

The two previous applications ‘Drapers Chase Solar Farm’ and ‘Poplars Solar Farm’ were initially developed as two local planning applications each capable of producing up to 49.9MW of electricity with one electricity connection to Braintree substation. Ongoing discussions between TotalEnergies and landowners have also increased the project extent from the previous proposals.

Following the increase to the threshold for solar Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 50MW to 100MW, effective from 31st December 2025, TotalEnergies has taken the decision to move from the Development Consent Order (DCO) regime and instead seek consent for our proposals via the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA). TotalEnergies is committed to an inclusive consultation process that will ensure the voices of the local residents are heard, and seeking consent via the TCPA regime will bring the decision-making process closer to local residents.

No. While we have used some of the survey data provided by the previous projects, our proposals have been prepared by a new team. By uniting the two proposals into one, and the inclusion of additional land parcels, our project will be considerably different to those previously proposed.

The project will include underground cabling to connect into the UKPN network at the Braintree 132kV substation. We are currently developing the cable corridor route to ensure a minimum impact on local residents.

We are currently investigating cable route options. More detail on these routes will be provided as part of the consultation events.

Yes, in order to step-up our electricity to join the grid, we will be including a small substation within our proposals. This will be sited well away from households and footpaths. We are also assessing the most suitable location for the substation, within the existing constraints of the Site.

We will be protecting all existing permissive pathways and Public Rights of Way (PRoW). We aim to keep all footpaths open but may require temporary closure and/or diversion during construction. There are currently six footpaths within the Poplar’s parcel, and four within the Draper’s Chase parcel.  We recognise the importance of these footpaths and the proximity of the proposals to the Flitch Way National Trail, and have therefore invited the local Friends of Flitch Way group to attend our Community Liaison Group. We will ensure that there is a minimum of 15m distance from footpaths to PV panels.

Access into the Site is proposed via three existing field entrances. These are proposed as follows: from Rayne Road (along the southern boundary) and the B1417 (along northwestern boundary), and via Drapers Chase.

We are still exploring access options, we will provide more details during our consultation events.

The solar farm is a temporary development and will not change the land classification from agricultural greenfield to commercial/industrial brownfield. When the solar farm has been decommissioned, we will be required to restore the land to sole agricultural use.

The solar farm is  temporary. As part of this project, habitats will be enhanced and the land will be rested, which in the long-term will improve the soil structure and nutrient levels, ready for when the site is returned to full agricultural use at the end of the solar farm’s lifespan.

Solar farms currently account for around 0.1% of the total land area of the UK. The Government targets for a fivefold increase in solar would result in 0.3% of the UK land area being used by solar (Carbon Brief, 2022). This is the equivalent to around half of the space currently used by golf courses.

The solar farm provides the opportunity to keep the land free from intensive farming practices and chemicals, allowing species to thrive and soil quality to improve. Biodiversity net-gain will be achieved by new and improved hedgerow, habitats, and tree planting. These enhancements will include:

• New planting to support a diverse range of critical invertebrate species and encourage new species along the site boundary;
• Wildlife corridors and the installation of bat and bird nesting boxes, woodpiles, and beehives along the site boundary;
• Additional measures to protect and enhance the hedgehog population on-site. 

We anticipate that these measures will result in a biodiversity net gain beyond the government’s 10% mandatory requirements.

Supporting Local Wildlife, Including Hedgehogs

The solar farm is expected to create a quieter, low-traffic environment over much of the site, which can offer a more hospitable setting for local wildlife. Once operational, areas around and beneath the solar panels are typically left undisturbed for long periods, allowing vegetation to regenerate and creating a calmer landscape that may be well-suited to species such as hedgehogs.

By removing intensive land uses from the site, the development could help provide more connected, low-disturbance green spaces that some wildlife species might find beneficial.

Our design team is working hard to minimise the visual impact of the scheme. The low-level panels will ensure that a significant portion of the site remains hidden from view in nearby residential areas and surrounding villages. A comprehensive Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) will be conducted as part of the application and will consider all the overall visual effects.

Mitigation measures, such as new trees and hedgerows, will be planted to minimise the visual impact of the proposal and enhance the local green infrastructure network.

A Transport Assessment will be carried out, which fully considers the local network capacity and safety. A Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) will be agreed and implemented to ensure impacts are minimal.

Mitigation measures could include using a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) booking system and restricting arrival and departure of construction traffic during rush hour or peak school times. We will work closely with the Local Highways Authority to compile the CTMP and take on board any feedback from local people during the public engagement phase.

No, there will not be any removal of existing woodland. 

TotalEnergies has been present in the UK for more than 60 years, employing more than 1,600 people across the energy value chain.

We are one of the country’s leading oil and gas operators, operating around 27% of the UK Continental Shelf’s gas production.

We’re diversifying our energy offering to provide low-carbon and renewable energies to our customers, while continuing to provide the oil and gas they need today.

We have invested in several offshore wind developments in the UK which will have the capacity to deliver over 5GW of renewable power, including Seagreen (1.1GW) which became fully operational in 2023. We're also making major investments in solar, developing projects across England and Wales amounting to around 980MW of power.

We are one of the UK’s largest suppliers of gas and electricity to businesses and the public sector. We also offer electric vehicle charging solutions and market petroleum products including lubricants, bitumen and aviation fuel. 

More about TotalEnergies in the UK and across the world

Hedgehog Grove is funded by private investment by TotalEnergies Renewables UK Ltd, who are the developer of the project and a 100% owned affiliate of the international multi-energy company TotalEnergies. There are no Government or Council subsidies attached to the project.

No. There have been multiple studies which demonstrate that there is no evidence of adverse effects from living close to solar farms.*

*Clean Grid Alliance; WHO Guidance

No, solar panels have no moving parts and emit no sound. Inverters and transformers can emit noise, although this is associated with operational HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) which only operates within certain parameters. The solar inverter-transformer units themselves only have noise potential during daylight hours and because they are dispersed across a large area the noise doesn’t become a concentrated source.

Solar panels are made to absorb light rather than reflect it. In the past, solar farms were associated with a glint and glare effect due to them being made of glass, however, modern solar panels are coated with an anti-glare technology because they generate electricity by absorbing light. Therefore, there is very little glint or glare.

Testament to this fact is the installation of solar panels at Gatwick Airport, alongside major roads and beside sports car raceways such as the ‘Top Gear’ test track. Nevertheless, for full reassurance a Glint & Glare Assessment will be undertaken on the final design to provide evidence and reassurance as to the lack of glint and glare effects on sensitive receptors such as residential living space or road users.

Yes. Solar panels are (almost entirely) comprised of glass, silica, aluminium, steel, copper and plastic, which are recyclable.

Solar farms are classed as temporary structures. A temporary solar development does not permanently change the land use of the site, and in most cases solar sites retain an ongoing agricultural use while the solar array is in place.

Solar farms are only temporary for many reasons. One is that most of the equipment has a limited lifespan and would need to be replaced to maintain output levels. As renewable energy technology is moving so fast, the land required to provide 98 MW of export to the grid will be much less in 30 years than it is now. It would therefore not be sustainable to dedicate more land than needed for longer than needed.

After sustained rest during its use as a solar farm, the improved farmland can be restored to full agricultural use, should the landowner choose to use it as such.

Finally, it is also very important for both developers and local authorities to time-limit consents, to ensure that solar arrays are properly dismantled and recycled, and prevent the land from being re-classified to “brownfield”.

A temporary consent for solar development does not necessarily make a site more likely to be developed in the future – any decisions to change the future use of the site would be taken by the local planning authority in line with existing national and local planning policies.