The Third Revolution team secured planning consent for a solar and battery energy storage farm at the North Herts planning committee in June 2024. The Tophams project is being developed by Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) and will export 40MW of power directly into the local distribution network, supplying clean renewable energy to the local area and beyond. This is enough energy to power approximately 17,000 homes.

In addition to the climate change and energy security benefits, the solar farmwill provide very considerable benefits to local biodiversity as well as incorporating two new permissive footpaths for use by residents in the area.

TRP helped PACE assess several potential sites in the area and then led the planning application process for the preferred location. Key design challenges included the scheme’s proximity to a scheduled monument, bridleways around 2 sides of the site, limited construction access options, and new fire safety guidance that required substantial design changes part way through the design process. Ecology guidance also changed part way through the determination process, necessitating additional surveys and changes to the landscape and ecology proposals.

Although the proposals gained significant public interest, the planning committee recognised the importance of renewable energy projects like this to tackling climate change.

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