New solar farm to be built at Bassingbourn Barracks

South Cambridgeshire District Council has given planning permission for a new solar farm to be built at the military base, off the A1198.

Planning officers said the solar farm will "provide a meaningful contribution to the low carbon energy generation of the wider site".

Ground mounted solar panels are due to be installed across 1.15 hectares of the military base.

The MoD said that the new solar farm would produce 2.3 megawatts of energy, which it said will meet around 35 per cent of the annual energy demand at Bassingbourn Barracks.

The solar panels are expected to have a lifespan of 25 to 35 years, after which they will be decommissioned and the land they were installed on should be returned to its previous condition.

Each solar module would be between one metre and two metres tall.

Over the solar farm's lifetime the MoD said it will help the military base avoid producing carbon emissions the equivalent of taking 652 cars off the road.

The project is part of a wider scheme by the Army to reduce energy consumption and improve energy resilience.

Bassingbourn Barracks, based to the north of Bassingbourn, is an active training ground for infantry. The site includes the military base, as well as homes, and a sports centre.

The barracks was previously a military airfield, but the runway is now disused. However, the MoD said it remains in use for "operational defence purposes".

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A report submitted to the council by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) in June last year said: "The Ministry of Defence owns a diverse estate, including naval bases, barracks, airfields and other defence facilities.

"DIO as part of the MoD, plays a vital role in supporting defence and is responsible for all acquisition, disposal, and allocation of assets in the UK and abroad.

"The MoD has identified a need to deliver photovoltaic (PV) arrays at scale across the Army estate."