Introducing Hooton Pagnell Renewable Park

British Solar Renewables (BSR) is bringing forward a proposal for a new Solar Park and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) development on land across 94 hectares to the south of the village of Hooton Pagnell in South Yorkshire, on the border with West Yorkshire. The proposals represent an opportunity to boost green energy in an area traditionally known for its coalmining heritage*.

With widespread concerns about soaring energy bills, energy security and the climate crisis, it has never been more important to provide renewable, reliable and locally sourced energy.

Scenic wildflower meadow under a cloudy sky
Brown butterfly perched on a yellow wildflower

BSR is passionate about responding to the climate emergency and dedicated to supporting the switch away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. To meet critical environmental targets, reduce emissions and improve energy security, green energy sources such as solar are urgently needed. Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) developments also play an important role by helping to ensure an efficient, steady supply of renewable energy. They store the excess power generated by renewable energy sources like solar and wind, releasing it when demand is high or production is impacted by low winds or sunshine. BSR’s proposals would deliver a solar development with a capacity of 49.9MW, co-located with a battery storage system with capacity of 30MW.

BSR is dedicated to listening to the local community and during our summer 2025 Public Consultation, we received feedback that we will be including to help inform and feed into our planning application.

*A map of the Yorkshire Coalfield Area can be found at: Yorkshire Coalfield – Northern Mine Research Society

Two people standing in a field discussing land use

Community Consultation

We held our Community Consultation for the proposed Hooton Pagnell Renewable Park from Monday 16th June 2025 to Monday 14th July 2025. We invited local residents, businesses and community groups to learn more about our project directly from the project team and to give us feedback. All the feedback we received will be used to help shape our proposals.

We held two open community events:

  • Drop-in community consultation event: Tuesday 24th June, 2pm – 7pm at the Cricket Pavilion, Hooton Pagnell Cricket Club, Butt Lane, Hooton Pagnell, Doncaster DN5 7BW

  • Online webinar: Thursday 26th June from 7pm – 8pm – View Recording Here

Download the consultation materials

The Proposals

BSR’s proposals for the land near Hooton Pagnell include:

A solar development with a total export capacity of 49.9MW. This is enough renewable energy to power 19,657 homes every year and would result in the reduction of 17,410 tonnes of CO2 per year being emitted into the atmosphere.

A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) development with a capacity of 30MW, connected to the local distribution system to ensure a steady, reliable supply of clean energy to homes and businesses.

A minimum of 60% increase in biodiversity net gain for the site. This is six times the minimum 10% target outlined by the government in the Environment Act 2021. As part of this, existing habitats on site will be retained and managed, to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on the existing condition of the habitat over the lifespan of the development.

Improvements to the condition of existing habitats, as well as facilitating the creation of new habitats. At Hooton Pagnell Renewable Park, these improvements may include:

  • Native landscaping initiatives, including wildflower meadows, tussock grass, and native species rich grassland areas
  • Tree and hedgerow enhancements for vegetation and habitat
  • Detailed ecology surveys are continuing, and further species-specific improvements, pond enhancements, and other mitigations will be added as the results are analysed
  • A Soil Management Plan, aiming to improve the existing soil when the land returns to agriculture at the end of the project

A layout designed to minimise and mitigate any limited impact it may have on the character of the local area, including the listed and non-listed architecture in Hooton Pagnell which will not have visibility of the site. The solar and BESS development will be less obstructive to views as they do not require significant height, and BSR makes every effort to use trees and planting to screen its projects.

The project will have an anticipated operational lifespan of 40 years. After this, the land can be returned to its original agricultural use with no long-term negative impacts.

BSR will carefully consider all feedback received during the Public Consultation period, as well as reporting it and responding to it in a detailed Statement of Community Involvement which will accompany the planning application.

Further information on Planning Location and Site Location Plan including maps is shared here.

Scenic wildflower meadow under a cloudy sky
Three sheep standing in a grassy pasture
Two construction workers clearing vegetation from a site
Brown butterfly perched on a yellow wildflower
Brown butterfly perched on a yellow wildflower

Construction and Operation

Throughout the construction and operational phases of the proposed solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) development on land near Hooton Pagnell, BSR is committed to keeping the potential impacts to the local road network and the local community to the minimum levels possible.

The construction phase is expected to take approximately 12 months. A Construction Management Plan will be in place to ensure there is minimal disruption to the surrounding area.

Access to the site is proposed to be via the A1, with more detail provided as the project progresses.

It is expected that there will be minimal noise disruption to the wider area surrounding the site throughout construction, although we appreciate some of our closest neighbours are likely to have specific concerns relating to the construction noise and impact.

Details on how to get in touch can be found here.

You can contact the project team in the following ways:

  • Call our hotline on +44 (0)3303 010 149

  • Email us at info@bsr-hootonpagnell.co.uk

  • Write to us at Freepost BRITISH SOLAR RENEWABLES (HOOTON PAGNELL)

  • Fill out the 'Contact Us' form

If you, or anyone you know, would benefit from hard copy information or accessible formats, these are available on request by using the details listed above.

Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

The site is located on land to the south of Hooton Pagnell, a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, and on the border with West Yorkshire.

It is approximately 3.8km northeast of Thurnscoe and 5.2km west of Adwick le Street and 9.5km northwest of Doncaster.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are one of the most flexible assets that can be connected to the grid. A BESS collects energy from energy sources such as solar panels and stores the energy for future use with battery storage technology.

In the proposed Hooton Pagnell Renewable Park project, the system will have the capacity of storing up to 30MW.

The UK has a legally binding climate target to meet net zero by 2050, and must increase renewable energy development to reach clean power by 2030.

Amid the climate crisis and cost-of-living crisis, which is partly fuelled by rising energy costs, solar and BESS developments offer affordable, efficient green energy and help to enhance energy security.

BSR’s proposals for the land near Hooton Pagnell seek to:

  • Allow for a significant opportunity for green energy production in South Yorkshire.
  • Ensure a secure and stable supply of electricity to power the local area, to help meet the Government’s target of net zero by 2050.
  • Support existing biodiversity to thrive on the site, with plans which allow for plants to continue to grow and animals to still pass through the site.
  • Provide a minimum increase of 60% in Biodiversity Net Gain, which exceeds the 10% target outlined in the Environment Act 2021.
  • Make improvements to the condition of existing habitats and contribute to the creation of new habitats to enhance biodiversity on site.
  • Support ongoing agricultural use by seeking to incorporate sheep grazing alongside solar energy generation.
  • Allow the land to be returned to agricultural use following decommissioning with an operational lifespan of 40 years.

The project is designed with fire safety measures which are in line with regulatory standards. This includes working with the local Fire and Rescue Service during the early planning phase. BSR will also implement strict monitoring and maintenance protocol to uphold safety and reliability throughout the project’s operational period.

These measures will ensure the safe operation of the BESS while delivering a reliable and sustainable energy supply.

The proposals would have an operational lifespan of 40 years. Following this, the solar farm and BESS would be decommissioned and the land will be returned to agricultural use.

Our proposal will result in at least a minimum of 60% increase in biodiversity net gain for the site, this not only meets, but far exceeds, the minimum 10% target outlined by the government in the Environment Act 2021. As part of this, existing habitats on site will be retained and managed, to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on the existing condition of the habitat over the lifespan of the development.

Throughout the lifespan of the solar and BESS development, there is a significant opportunity for biodiversity to continue and thrive on the site.

We will also ensure that improvements are made to the condition of existing habitats, as well as facilitating the creation of new habitation which will enhance biodiversity on site. This could include:

  • Preserving existing trees and pond areas to support local wildlife and enhance the environment as natural habitats.
  • Ensuring the land remains a suitable environment for wildlife through conservation grazing with sheep.
  • Native landscaping initiatives, including wildflower meadows, tussock grass, and native species-rich grassland areas.
  • Tree and hedgerow enhancements for vegetation and habitat.
  • Continued detailed ecology surveys, and further species-specific improvements, pond enhancements, and other mitigations added as the results are analysed.
  • A Soil Management Plan, aiming to improve the existing soil when the land returns to agriculture at the end of the project.

The UK has an urgent need to replace polluting and expensive fossil fuels with renewable energy sources such as solar, while BESS developments enable clean energy to be stored and delivered smoothly to homes and businesses.

BSR selects sites for renewable energy developments based on where there is a viable grid connection nearby, as this can often be a factor which makes many sites unviable for development. The proposed solar and BESS development would benefit from an on-site point of connection to the grid. The onsite point of connection allows the project to minimise disruption by avoiding the need to install cable across other lands. The project viability is also enhanced with such direct and efficient link to the grid.

Renewable energy developments can provide farmers with a valuable and reliable new source of income, improving their financial security and supporting them to grow crops and rear livestock.

The proposed Hooton Pagnell project is designed to provide efficient clean energy while utilising the available grid capacity. BSR is committed to proactively working with other developers in the area to share insights and coordinate efforts to minimise cumulative impacts of the project on the local community.

Within the solar operational area on site, the land can still be used for agricultural purposes such as grazing sheep. At the end of the development’s lifespan, the land can be returned to its original use with no long-term detrimental impacts.

If you have any questions about the proposals or need to speak with a member of the project team, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by:

Calling our hotline 03303 010 149

Emailing us at info@bsr-hootonpagnell.co.uk

Writing to us at Freepost address: Freepost BRITISH SOLAR RENEWABLES (Hooton Pagnell)

Completing the ‘Contact Us’ form available on the website.

BSR intends to submit the planning application to Doncaster City Council in August 2025, following a public consultation and an extensive review of all feedback received during this period.