New solar farm on landfill site will power council’s bin lorries

Nicholas Thomas Local Democracy Reporter

A “major” solar farm looks set to cover part of a former landfill site in Newport to power the city council’s bin lorries.

The council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of approving the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday August 7.

When completed, the solar farm will produce up to one megawatt of renewable energy, helping the council “phase out” its reliance on diesel-powered refuse collection vehicles.

It is expected the new solar farm will last around 25 years after it is built on brownfield land near the city’s Household Waste Recycling Centre, off Docks Way.

Concerns

At the committee meeting, Stephen Williams, the council’s west area development manager, noted the solar farm project will mean the loss of some trees.

Welsh Government environment agency Natural Resources Wales also raised concerns about changes to habitats of wildlife such as otters – and the council has agreed to build fences around the solar farm which will have gaps for the animals to pass through, should they visit a pond on the land.

Committee member Cllr Jason Jordan said it will be “beneficial” to use part of the former landfill site for a new purpose.

But some others questioned the environmental impacts of the project.

Cllr Trevor Watkins raised the matter of the pond, which he said could play an important part in collecting drainage leachate from the landfill site – and sought assurances the council the pond will be accessible in future.

Mr Williams did not know the specifics for future access, but Cllr Mark Spencer, the committee chairman, said that in his prior experience of running a landfill project, there will have designated leachate points, and the site in question “might just be a natural pond”.

Cllr John Reynolds asked why just one existing tree was being retained at the site.

Mr Williams said the council’s tree officers assess and categorised each tree on the land, and the one to be retained was in the best health.

Net zero

Following the committee’s decision to grant planning permission, Cllr Yvonne Forsey, the cabinet member for climate change, said: “We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and the solar farm will make an important contribution to our ambition to become a net zero council.

“Generating our own renewable energy to use in all the authority’s refuse vehicles will not only reduce fuel costs but also help us in our drive to further improve air quality in Newport.”

Newport City Council said it “currently has seven electric refuse vehicles and will continue to replace its diesel trucks with electric versions over the next few years”.