Five Pits Trail Private Wire Solar
Introducing Five Pits Trail Private Wire Solar
Sonaura is preparing to submit a planning application to North East Derbyshire Council for a small-scale solar farm on land near Williamthorpe.
The project would be small-scale solar farm with a capacity of 3MW, providing power to a leading temperature-controlled supply chain company via a private wire connection.
It is expected to offset approximately 10,445 tonnes of CO₂ over its operational lifetime, equivalent to the annual carbon sequestration of 209 acres of woodland, or the energy use of around 1,093 homes per 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, we will be considering these matters carefully in developing our proposals alongside the feedback received.
Interactive Feedback Map
Please click where you live on this feedback map and fill in the pop-up form to submit your comment. This will enable us to directly understand the location of any concerns you may have with this proposal.
Indicative site location plan
Why do we need to do this?
The Climate Emergency and wider geopolitical situation have highlighted the salience of domestic energy production and energy independence. We urgently need to generate energy from new, low carbon 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 UK Government wants to make the UK a “clean energy superpower”. Solar power is a core part of the Governments’ Net Zero target, and it intends to more than triple solar power capacity by 2030, with the intention of reaching 75GW by 2035.
This proposal will provide wide ranging benefits, including:
The proposed low-impact solar farm will generate clean, renewable energy for a nearby temperature-controlled logistics facility, supporting its sustainability commitments and helping to secure the long-term operation of the site and maintain as a major local employer.
The proposed solar farm will not require Government subsidy, with no impacts on domestic consumer bills.
Assist North East Derbyshire Council in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with local and national targets in response to the Climate Emergency.
Careful consideration has been given to the development to avoid negative effects on landscape, heritage, or ecological designations.
This is a temporary development, allowing the land to rest for a period of operation 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.
Indicative solar PV area
Who are we?
Sonaura is an international renewable energy company specialising in private wire solar, wind, and battery projects that enable businesses to protect against energy volatility while securing clean energy, at lower costs, and achieving deep decarbonisation.
Backed by Eurazeo, one of Europe's leading investment groups, and with offices in London and Berlin, Sonaura seamlessly delivers solutions across entire business portfolios regardless of location. From site assessment and planning through construction and long-term operation, we fund and manage every stage, making the transition to clean energy straightforward, cost-effective and scalable.
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.
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It typically takes 6 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, minimising visits by maintenance staff to around once a month.
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There is an urgent need to generate energy from new, and environmentally friendly sources Solar power is already yielding tangible results. For instance, at times in 2025, solar power contributed up to 40% of the UK’s daytime electricity (according to the National Grid Energy Dashboard). For instance, on 6 April 2025, according to NESO, solar power was meeting a record 40% of the UK’s electricity demand.
Solar power is a core part of the Governments’ Net Zero target, and it intends to more than triple solar power capacity by 2030, with the intention of reaching 75GW by 2035. 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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The project is located close to the Lineage cold storage facility in Holmewood to enable the direct supply of clean, locally generated electricity via a private wire connection. Proximity is essential to minimise transmission losses, reduce infrastructure requirements, and ensure a reliable, efficient flow of energy to support the factory’s operations.
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The solar farm is a temporary development and will not change the land classification. A soil survey will be carried out in due course.
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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, where 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.
Public Consultation Event
We will be hosting a public consultation event in Summer 2026. The details will be posted on the website, once they are available.
Summer 2026
Pre-Submission Consultation
Project Timeline
Summer 2026
Autumn 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@alpacacommunications.com
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