Fordgate Solar Farm
Introducing Fordgate Solar Farm
Introducing Fordgate Solar Farm
ib vogt is preparing to submit a planning application to Somerset Council for a solar farm on land off Park Lane, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA7 0AR.
The project would have capacity of 49.9 MW with the proposed development creating enough renewable energy to meet the annual electricity demands of approximately 13,500 homes. It would also offset approximately 8000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
The proposed site location sits within a rural landscape and existing trees and hedgerows will be retained and enhanced to provide screening. While there are no statutory landscape, heritage or ecological designations on site, and these matters will be carefully considered when developing our proposals, alongside any feedback received throughout pre-submission consultation.
ib vogt have now submitted an EIA Scoping Report on Friday 22/08/25.
Indicative red line boundary
Why do we need to do this?
The Climate Emergency, cost of living crisis and the wider geopolitical situation have all highlighted the importance of domestic energy production and energy independence. We urgently need to generate energy from new, lost cost, low carbon sources and solar is the lowest cost and quickest to deploy of all energy sources.
In 2019, the UK became the first country in the world to declare a Climate Emergency. It has subsequently committed to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. The new UK Government wants to make the UK a “clean energy superpower”. As a key mission, the Government has committed to achieving a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030.
This proposal will provide wide ranging benefits, including:
Assist Somerset Council in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with local and national targets in response to the Climate Emergency.
Contribute towards the security of energy supply in Somerset through the provision of local, renewable electricity.
Careful consideration to avoid effects on landscape, heritage, or ecology.
Significant biodiversity net gain.
Job creation and significant business rates.
A community fund will be established to invest in local projects and initiatives.
A temporary development allowing the land to rest for a period of up to 40 years.
Decommissioning and full restoration of the site at the end of life of the development will be secured via planning condition.
No Government subsidy required.
Who are we?
ib vogt is a leading utility-scale developer with a 20-year track record in the renewable energy sector. ib vogt is headquartered in London with a team of experienced engineers, project developers, planners and land and grid managers.
ib vogt is a leading solar and battery developer storage developer in the UK and has built almost 500MW of solar projects across the nation, with another 300+ MW of solar PV and BESS currently under construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There is no evidence that solar farms have a negative impact on wildlife. In fact, wildlife thrives within the sites when managed sensitively. We are committed to a significant biodiversity net gain through the enhancement of existing landscape features and habitats to provide opportunities for local wildlife and improved connectivity across the site.
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ib vogt will contribute funds to local community projects as part of our solar farm investment. We are keen to hear from locals about potential projects which would be compatible with our values. The proposed development would represent a significant financial investment and would create short term construction jobs. It would also result in additional business rates over its 40-year lifespan.
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It typically takes 12 months to build a solar farm of this size. Site working would typically be Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings only.
A construction traffic management plan will be conditioned and subject to detailed liaison with the highways department post planning. Once the solar farm is constructed, monitoring will be carried out remotely by its operator, minimising visits by maintenance staff.
All existing Public Rights of Way will remain open during construction and for the 40 year lifetime of the solar farm
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There is an urgent need to generate energy from new, and environmentally friendly sources, and solar power emerges as the most cost-effective and rapidly deployable among all energy sources. Solar power is already yielding tangible results. For instance, during the period from June to August in 2022, solar power frequently contributed up to 25% of the UK’s daytime electricity (according to the National Grid ESO carbon app). Even in winter, solar panel technology is still effective; at one point in February 2022, solar was providing more than 20% of the UK’s electricity, according to the National Grid).
Solar power is a core part of the Governments’ Net Zero target, and it intends to more than triple solar power capacity by 2030. Achieving this objective requires the deployment of larger scale solar farms as well as on the rooftops of industrial and residential buildings.
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For our solar farm projects we require a nearby grid connection, and a site that is consistent with planning policy and supportive landowners. Fordgate Solar Farm offers all of these features.
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The solar farm is a temporary development and will not change the land classification.
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No, solar panels have no moving parts and emit no sound. Inverters and transformers can emit very low-level sound, but these are sited away from houses and cannot be heard from more than a few metres away. A full noise assessment has been conducted for the site and the project design will consider potential mitigation, if necessary.
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The UK Food Security Report (2021) found that “the biggest medium to long term risk to the UK’s domestic production comes from climate change and other environmental pressures such as soil degradation, water quality and biodiversity”.
Solar farms currently account for less than 0.1% of land use in the UK (Solar Energy UK Factsheet, 2024). To meet the government’s net zero target, the Climate Change Committee estimates that the UK will require 90GW of solar capacity by 2050, with 70GW needed by 2035. Achieving this would necessitate using approximately 0.6% of the UK’s land area for solar power (Solar Energy UK Factsheet, 2024), which is less than the space currently occupied by golf courses.
The proposed site for Fordgate Solar Farm is made up of Grade 3b land (measured on site by survey) so it is not considered Best and Most Versatile Land.
Public Consultation Event
You are invited to our public consultation event which will be taking place on Tuesday 18th November 2025 at Moorland and District Village Hall, Northmoor Green, Bridgwater, TA7 0AS (2pm - 7pm).
Autumn 2025
Pre-Submission Consultation
Project Timeline
Spring 2026
Summer 2026
Finalise Proposed Design
2027
Submit Planning Application
Planning Decision
Contact us.
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If you wish to contact us or require further information, please feel free to use the form (situated to the right) or by the following methods:
Email: feedback@fordgatesolarfarm.co.uk
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