Powering a reliable energy
future for the UK
Our Approach
The scale and nature of Arrow Valley Solar means that we are undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
An EIA helps us to identify and assess the potential environmental effects of the Scheme before any decisions are made. It also helps us to shape the design of Arrow Valley Solar to avoid, reduce, or mitigate any potential impacts, as far as possible.
The EIA process
- EIA Scoping – March to May 2026
The scope of the EIA is consulted on with the Planning Inspectorate and consultees, including local councils. It helps identify the topics that need to be assessed, such as landscape, ecology, heritage, and traffic.
The EIA Scoping Report remains available to view in the document library, alongside the new Interim Environmental Report published as part of this consultation. - Interim Environmental Report (IER) – September 2026
The IER shares the initial findings from ongoing site surveys and desktop studies, and the proposed methodology to be used to carry out key environmental assessments. Communities and stakeholders can review the information in the IER and provide feedback before assessments are undertaken and finalised. - Environmental Statement (ES) – Spring 2027
The ES is the final report submitted with the application for development consent. This document brings together the completed environmental assessments, including the measures proposed to manage and mitigate the impacts of the Scheme, and how feedback during public consultation and ongoing engagement has influenced its design.
We are currently at stage 2 of this process.
The IER has been produced to provide relevant technical information to support this consultation and is split across a range of different topics that will mirror the structure of the final Environmental Statement.
Throughout this process, we are engaging with local councils and national bodies such as Natural England, Historic England and the Environment Agency to ensure their expert views are taken into account.
We encourage you to review the IER and share your views on the work undertaken so far, as this feedback will help shape the Scheme’s ongoing environmental assessments.
The report covers the following topics:
- Ground conditions
- Soils and agriculture
- Ecology and biodiversity
- Historic environment
- Landscape and visual
- Climate change
- Transport and access
- Noise and vibration
- Glint and glare
- Population and human health
- Water environment
- Materials and waste
- Air quality
- Other matters
- Cumulative effects
You can access the IER in the document library by clicking here.
We have also provided a summary of some of the key topics considered in the IER below and in our consultation brochure.
Click on a theme to find out more about the work we are undertaking for Arrow Valley Solar
Soils and Agriculture
Farming plays a crucial role across south Warwickshire and east Worcestershire, and we recognise the importance of protecting productive farmland and maintaining the quality of soils that support it.
As we continue to develop our proposals, we are looking closely at how land is currently farmed, the quality of agricultural land, and how individual farming businesses could be affected by the Scheme.
To help inform the design of Arrow Valley Solar, we have carried out detailed soil and Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) surveys. The results of these surveys are available in the IER and provide information about the quality of agricultural land within the Scheme area. Alongside this, our team has been meeting with landowners and farmers to understand firsthand how the land is currently used and managed.
The findings from these surveys have helped shape the Scheme design. Where possible, we have sought to avoid areas of Best and Most Versatile (BMV) land and minimise effects on farming activities. We will also develop a Soil Management Plan and include this within our application for development consent.
Further information on the Agricultural Land Classification surveys can be found in Chapter 7 of the IER.
Ecology and Biodiversity
Protecting and enhancing the environment is a key priority for Arrow Valley Solar.
Our team of ecologists has been carrying out extensive surveys across the proposed sites and cable route to understand the wildlife and habitats currently present. These surveys cover a wide range of species and habitats, including:
- Ancient woodland, trees, hedgerows and grassland habitats
- Rivers, streams, ponds and other water habitats
- Bats, badgers, otters and water voles
- Great crested newts and other amphibians
- Reptiles
- Breeding and wintering birds, including skylarks and barn owls
- Fish and other aquatic wildlife
As our surveys continue and as we begin environmental assessment, the results will help shape further refinements to design, as well as the mitigation measures we will put in place to protect local wildlife.
Some of the mitigation currently being proposed includes:
- Buffer zones around sensitive habitats, watercourses, ponds, hedgerows and other ecological features
- Areas set aside for ground-nesting birds, such as skylarks, where our surveys have identified their presence
- The use of special ‘trenchless’ cable burial techniques, such as horizontal directional drilling, at river crossings so that cables can be installed without disturbing aquatic wildlife
Alongside avoiding and reducing impacts, we will also work to enhance biodiversity across the area. Our proposals will deliver at least 10% Biodiversity Net Gain, calculated using Natural England’s metric, meaning that there will be more or better habitats for wildlife after the Scheme is delivered. Some enhancements being considered include:
- Creating wildflower meadows to support bees, butterflies and other pollinators
- Planting new hedgerows and filling in existing gaps to create better wildlife corridors
- Planting trees in suitable locations and planting grassland under the solar panels
- Creating and improving habitats for birds and other species
Our ecological work is ongoing and will continue to inform our design. Full details of the surveys we have undertaken to date are provided in Chapter 8 of the IER.
Historic Environment and Cultural Heritage
The local area around Arrow Valley Solar includes a number of historic features, which we know are important to local communities. Protecting and understanding these features has been an important part of developing the Scheme.
As our plans have evolved, we have made changes to avoid and reduce impacts wherever possible. For example, in Site 2 we have amended the site boundary to move it away from a Scheduled Monument, ensuring this nationally important heritage asset sits outside the proposed development area. We have also carefully considered the location of the Scheme’s infrastructure in relation to nearby listed buildings, conservation areas, registered parks and gardens and historic landscapes.
To better understand the area’s archaeology, we have completed geophysical surveys, which use specialist equipment to identify features beneath the ground without excavation. These findings are helping to inform the design of the Scheme and our proposed mitigation measures. For example, infrastructure requiring deep foundations will be directed away from areas where potential archaeological remains have been identified.
We will use the survey results, alongside further specialist surveys, to develop an archaeological mitigation strategy that will help protect important archaeological features where needed, both within the solar sites and along the cable route.
Further information on the historic environment work undertaken to date can be found in Chapter 9 of the IER.
Landscape and Visual
As we develop our proposals for Arrow Valley Solar, we are considering both the overall character of the surrounding landscape and the views already enjoyed by local people, with a focus on understanding how we can design a project that sits sensitively within its existing environment.
The design of the Scheme has been shaped by these considerations from the outset. We will set infrastructure back from residential properties and Public Rights of Way by minimum buffer distances and have refined the layout of the Scheme through a series of design reviews to help it sit more comfortably within its surroundings. This has included removing solar panels from some areas, including close to Cleeve Prior, Dunnington and Weethley, and carefully selecting locations for taller infrastructure away from nearby properties.
We will continue to use the findings from our landscape and visual work to guide the design as it develops. This will include proposals for new trees and hedgerows, helping to integrate the Scheme into the landscape and providing additional screening where appropriate.
To help people understand what the Scheme may look like once built, we have prepared a series of visualisations from key locations around the site. These realistic images, available to view in the document library, are based on photographs and show how Arrow Valley Solar could appear from selected viewpoints.
Further information on landscape and visuals can be found in Chapter 10 of the IER.
Climate change
Whilst addressing climate change is a key driver for renewable energy projects like Arrow Valley Solar, we must also ensure that potential sources of carbon emissions are fully considered through the design and development process.
We are therefore examining the carbon emissions linked to the Scheme, from construction through to decommissioning. This has included looking at the “embodied” carbon in all of the materials we use, including in solar panels, metals in mounting structures and cabling. We also consider the emissions from manufacturing and delivering these materials, the construction work on site, and any changes to land use and soils.
In order to ensure that we fully consider where materials such as solar panels are sourced from, and the subsequent carbon emissions associated with their transport to site, we use recognised industry guidance to estimate realistic transport distances.
As we progress and refine the Scheme, we will look for ways to keep emissions as low as possible, including through ensuring deliveries follow agreed construction traffic routes, and by working with suppliers to ensure vehicles are fully loaded so that fewer trips are needed.
As part of our climate change assessment, we will also consider the clean, renewable energy generated by Arrow Valley Solar over the lifetime of the project, and the benefits this will have on reducing carbon emissions associated with non-renewable forms of energy.
Further information on our climate change assessment can be found in Chapter 11 of the IER.
Transport and Access
Whilst Arrow Valley Solar will generate very little traffic once operational, construction traffic is an important consideration, and we know it matters to local communities.
Construction will involve deliveries and other vehicle movements, such as bringing workers to site, so we are designing the Scheme to minimise impacts on local roads as far as practicable. This includes avoiding routes through villages and close to homes and identifying roads that are suitable for construction vehicles.
To understand how local roads are used today, we have mapped and surveyed the surrounding transport network and carried out traffic surveys across the local area. This work helps us identify existing traffic patterns and locations that may be more sensitive to additional vehicle movements and will inform the Transport Assessment that accompanies our application for development consent.
The results of this assessment will also inform our Construction Traffic Management Plan and help us identify further opportunities to reduce disruption. We will work closely with the highway authorities to ensure all construction access points can be used safely and that construction traffic is managed appropriately. Measures are likely to include agreed vehicle routes, temporary traffic management and limiting construction activity at particularly sensitive times.
We also recognise the importance of footpaths, bridleways and cycling routes to residents and visitors. Our application will include a Public Rights of Way (PRoW) Management Plan that sets out how we will maintain the safety of users at all times during construction.
Further information on transport surveys can be found in Chapter 12 of the IER.
Noise and Vibration
Noise and vibration are important considerations for nearby residents and communities.
From the beginning of our design development process, we have sought to locate noise-emitting equipment, like the battery energy storage system (BESS), substations and conversion units, away from nearby homes and other sensitive locations. We have also carefully considered construction access routes to minimise the amount of construction traffic passing through villages or close to homes.
To understand any potential effects of the Scheme on existing noise levels, we have carried out monitoring surveys at 23 locations across the Scheme area and identified nearby homes and other sensitive locations that could be affected. Using this information, our specialists have assessed how noise and vibration levels could change during construction and operation, taking account of the area’s existing noise environment.
As our proposals continue to develop, we will use the results of these assessments to further refine the layout of the Scheme where necessary. This could include adjusting the location of infrastructure, selecting less noisy equipment, or introducing acoustic screening around infrastructure. This will help to ensure that Arrow Valley Solar is developed in a way that minimises disruption for nearby communities.
Further information on the noise and vibrations surveys can be found in Chapter 13 of the IER.
Glint and Glare
Solar panels are designed to absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. This means that in certain conditions, they can produce reflections, known as glint and glare.
We need to consider whether these reflections could affect residents, drivers, people on public footpaths, or aviation activities as we progress the design of the Scheme.
Our specialists are using detailed computer modelling to identify where reflections could occur, and whether these would be visible. This work takes into account existing features, like trees, hedgerows and buildings, which can often screen views and prevent reflections. It also considers who might be affected, including residents, road users, and people using Public Rights of Way.
As we continue to develop and refine our proposals, the findings from this work will help inform decisions about the layout of the solar sites. Where reflections are identified as a potential issue, we will consider how the design could be changed and where screening might be appropriate.
Further information on glint and glare surveys can be found in Chapter 14 of the IER.
Water Environment and Flooding
The local area contains a network of rivers, streams and ditches, including the River Avon, River Arrow, Bow Brook, Piddle Brook, Noleham Brook and Littleton Brook, as well as many smaller watercourses.
We have reviewed existing information from organisations such as the Environment Agency, and our team has been on site to undertake surveys that help us better understand local conditions and inform our assessments. This work, detailed in Chapter 16 of the IER, will continue as the Scheme develops to help ensure the local water environment is protected.
Flood risk is also an important consideration and has influenced the design of Arrow Valley Solar. Substations, battery energy storage, other sensitive electrical equipment and construction compounds will not be located within Flood Zones 2 or 3, which are areas identified as having a medium or high probability of flooding.
The design includes setbacks from rivers, streams and other watercourses, while solar panels will be raised above the ground to allow rainwater to soak naturally into the soil and flood water to pass underneath if needed.
A separate Flood Risk Assessment is currently being undertaken and will be submitted as part of the application for development consent. This assessment will include a review of existing flooding data provided by organisations like the Environment Agency and assessment of the risks from all sources of flooding. The assessment will then feed into the Scheme’s Drainage Strategy.
Together with good construction and environmental management practices, these measures will ensure the Scheme is designed with flood resilience in mind, and it does not increase risk of flooding on neighbouring land or downstream.
Further information on the local water environment can be found in Chapter 16 of the IER.
Materials and Waste
Building and operating a solar farm requires the use of materials, and so will generate waste. Because of this, we are looking carefully at how resources can be used responsibly and in an environmentally friendly way throughout the lifetime of the Scheme.
We will look for opportunities to reduce waste and use resources efficiently at every stage of the Scheme. For example, materials generated during construction, such as excavated soil, will be reused on site where possible, including in landscaping that helps integrate the Scheme into its surroundings.
We will follow the waste hierarchy, prioritising reducing, reusing and recycling materials before considering disposal. Wherever possible, waste will be diverted from landfill.
Solar panel recycling is a growing industry, and panels are made from materials such as glass and aluminium that can be recovered and recycled at the end of their operational life.
Further information on materials and waste can be found in Chapter 17 of the IER.
Air Quality
The design of the Scheme has considered how we can minimise impacts on air quality as a result of the Scheme.
We have sought to keep the Scheme away from nearby homes, helping to reduce the potential for dust-related pollution during construction. We are also looking carefully at construction access routes, seeking to avoid villages and sensitive locations wherever possible.
Our assessment will consider the temporary impacts that construction activities and vehicle movements could have on local air quality. It will consider nearby homes, schools, community facilities and environmentally sensitive locations, alongside existing air quality conditions in the area.
Results of the assessment will inform any necessary adjustments to construction traffic routes, and we will implement measures to control dust and emissions during construction. Any planned mitigation will be outlined in our Construction Environmental Management Plan, helping to ensure that we can deliver Arrow Valley Solar with minimal disruption to those nearby.
Further information on Air Quality can be found in Chapter 18 of the IER.
Cumulative Effects
We understand there may be concerns about the combined effects of Arrow Valley Solar and other nearby development, including potential increases in traffic, noise, or changes to the landscape.
We are also considering whether different effects from this Scheme alone could combine to affect the same community, property, or environmental feature in an acute way.
We are identifying other planned, approved or ongoing projects that could interact with Arrow Valley Solar. Our assessment will consider their location, scale and timing, including whether construction or operation could overlap with ours.
The findings, alongside consultation feedback, will help us refine the Scheme. Where significant combined effects are identified, we will consider how the design of the Scheme and management of the construction period could be refined to mitigate or reduce them.
Further information on cumulative impacts can be found in Chapter 20 of the IER.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the project, please contact us at:
Email:
Phone:
If you are a landowner within the potential cable route corridor, please contact our land agents:
Email: arrowvalleysolar@dalcourmaclaren.com
Phone: 0333 188 5374
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