South Oxfordshire Solar Farm

South Oxfordshire solar farm is a renewable energy development located on land to the south west of Cowley Substation, Nuneham Courtenay, Oxford, OX44 9PA.

It will power 13,000 homes and displace 23,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. As well as contributing to the drive to net zero, our proposal significantly enhances local biodiversity.

The project was initially proposed by Enso Energy. A planning application [Ref: P20/S4360/FUL] for the project was submitted by Enso Energy in November 2020 and approved by South Oxfordshire Council in January 2022. You can view the planning application here.

Following planning consent, the project is now owned by Cowley Baldon Green Ltd. Cowley Baldon Green is a partnership between Verdant Energy and ib vogt. Verdant Energy will be the owner of the project whilst ib vogt will be facilitating the construction process as Engineering Principal Contractor.

Construction is underway and the project team at Cowley Baldon Green will post construction updates on this website to keep the community up to date.

Construction Update

Site entrance installation works have now been completed under a Section 184, and the contractors have started to mobilise. Site set out is ongoing, welfare and compound setup has commenced, along with the start of construction of the access tracks. There are no works required on the public road.

Summary of Planning Applications

The South Oxfordshire Solar Farm (also known as the Cowley Solar Farm) was consented in 2022 via planning application.

Cowley Baldon Green Limited submitted a Section 73 application in September 2024, which was approved by the Council in January 2025. A Section 73 application varies conditions on an existing planning permission. This Section 73 Application can be found on the Council’s website here.

Cowley Baldon Green Ltd is now preparing to commence construction.

The list below sets out the submitted planning applications that relate to South Oxfordshire Solar Farm. This includes the initial application and subsequent applications to discharge conditions and/or seek minor amendments. This list will is continually updated.

  • Application submitted in November 2020 for the installation of renewable led energy generating station comprising ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays and battery-based electricity storage containers together with substation, inverter/transformer stations, site accesses, internal access tracks, security measures, access gates, other ancillary infrastructure, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements description. Amended plans were submitted in November 2021.

    This application was approved in January 2022.

    Available to view here.

  • Application under Section 73 (of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) for the variation of condition 3 on application P20/S4360/FUL - to extend the time limiting restriction of the operational life of the proposed development from 35 to 40 years resolving the discrepancy between condition 3 and condition 19 (as updated by the ES addendum dated July 2022).

    This application was approved on appeal in December 2023.

    Available to view here.

  • Application for the installation of underground cable.

    This was approved in April 2023.

    Available to view here.

  • Application under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the variation of condition 2 (plans controlling layout and appearance) of application P22/S1541/FUL as allowed by appeal ref APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675.

    This was approved on 7 January 2025.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of Condition 8 (Archaeological Watching Brief) for Application P22/S1541/FUL (Appeal Ref APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675).

    The condition required an archaeologist to monitor and record any findings during groundworks for the installation of a renewable energy generating station. This station includes ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays, battery-based electricity storage containers, a substation, inverter/transformer stations, site accesses, internal access tracks, security measures, access gates, ancillary infrastructure, landscaping, and biodiversity enhancements. Discharging this condition means the archaeological requirements have been met, allowing the development to proceed.

    This was approved on 13th August 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of Condition 12 (Vision Splay) for Application P22/S1541/FUL (Appeal Ref APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675).

    This relates to an application to extend the operational life of the proposed development from 35 to 40 years.

    The discharge of condition 12 ensures that the necessary visibility splats for safe access and egress to the site have been approved and implemented, addressing safety and accessibility requirements.

    This was approved on 14th August 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 7 (Construction Traffic Management Plan) on application P22/S1541/FUL (appeal ref APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675).

    This also relates to an application to extend the operational life of the proposed development from 35 to 40 years.

    The discharge of of Condition 7 relates to ensures that the Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) shall be implemented prior to any works being carried out on site and shall be maintained throughout the course of the development. The CTMP shall state the times at which plant or material will be delivered to the site.

    This was approved on 20 August 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 4 (Landscaping) and 5 (Landscaping Management) on application P22/S1541/FUL - Appeal reference APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675.

    The discharge of of Condition 4 and 5 ensures that the Proposed Development will positively manage habitats, species, and functionality of the Site and ensure that measures proposed will ensure that there is an overall net gain in the biodiversity.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 10 (Construction Environmental Management Plan - Biodiversity) on planning application P22/S1541/FUL (as allowed by appeal reference APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675).

    The discharge of condition 10 ensures that to ensure that the pre-construction and construction stages of the Development take place in accordance with the ecology mitigation set out in the Environmental Statement and in adherence to relevant wildlife legislation.

    This was approved on 23 September 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 11(AMS & Tree Protection) on application P22/S1541/FUL (as allowed by appeal ref APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675) (Application under Section 73 (of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) for the variation of condition 3 on application P20/S4360/FUL - to extend the time limiting restriction of the operational life of the proposed development from 35 to 40 years resolving the discrepancy between condition 3 and condition 19).

    This was approved on 18 September 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 3(Tree Protection) on application P23/S0500/FUL (Installation of underground cable).

    This was approved on 18 September 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 4 (Biodiversity Mitigation Strategy) on application P23/S0500/FUL (Installation of underground cable).

    This was approved on 15 October 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of condition 8 (Archaeological Watching Brief) on application P23/S0500/FUL (Installation of underground cable).

    This was approved on 13 August 2024.

    Available to view here.

  • Discharge of Conditions 4 (Landscaping Scheme), 5 (Acoustic Fence), 6 (Access Track) and 7 (Landscape Management Plan) on application P24/S2964/S73 (Application under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the variation of condition 2 (plans controlling layout and appearance) of application P22/S1541/FUL as allowed by appeal ref APP/Q3115/W/22/3308675 (Application under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for the variation of condition 3 of application P20/S4360/FUL - to extend the time limiting restriction of the operational life of the proposed development from 35 to 40).

    Available to view here.

Contact details

24-Hour Emergency Contact

Darren Blythin

Site Manager

Cowley.SolarEPC@ibvogt.com

07938 168 213

General Enquiries

Cem Sabri

Communications Lead

contact@southoxfordshiresolarfarm.co.uk 

0808 2734 702

Indicative Timeline

Site Preparing & Groundworks | Q4 2024

  • Site cleared of any existing structures or vegetation

  • Demarcation of sensitive areas / constraints

  • Site set out

  • Access track installation

Framing Installation | Q1 2025

  • Strong and durable frames made from high-quality materials are installed which are specifically designed for specific climate and weather conditions at the site

  • Expert technicians use specialised equipment to drive the frames into the ground

Cabling & Trenching | Q1 2025

  • Trenches are carefully planned and marked out

  • Digging is carried out using specialised machinery to minimise damage to the surrounding environment

  • On site and grid connection cables are laid out in the trenches and protected using conduit or other protective materials

  • Trenches are then backfilled and compacted to protect the cables

Solar Panel Assembly | Q2 2025

  • Solar panels are placed onto the frames and securely fastened

  • Panels are positioned to ensure optimal exposure to the sun

  • Technicians ensure proper spacing and alignment between the panels and frames

  • Final checks are performed to ensure panels are functioning properly and securely mounted

Electrical Component Foundation Preparation and Installation | Q2 2025

  • Preparation: Clearing of site, excavation, compacting of soil

  • Installation: Mounting of pre-fabricated components and assembly of an on-site built components

Security Installation | Q4 2024

  • Installation of security fence around the solar farm boundary

  • Placement of CCTV cameras to monitor fence line and interior of site

High Voltage Works | Q4 2025

  • Carried out by licensed electrical engineers

  • Necessary for solar farm to generate and transmit electricity

Cold and Hot Commissioning | Q3 2025

  • Final testing of solar farm equipment and systems

  • Connection of solar farm to the electrical grid

Construction Decommissioning & Civil Works | Q1 2026

  • Removing construction equipment from site

  • Restoration of site and road system to original state (within a month of construction completion)

Landscaping (According to Planting Season) | Timing as aligned with the planting seasons

  • Seeding and planting of site and boundaries

  • Implementation of a custom planting plan

  • Planting at the next suitable opportunity if outside of ideal planting seasons