Fox Cover Solar Farm to bring green energy and biodiversity gains to County Durham

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County Durham is set to benefit from a new renewable energy project following the approval of the 8.5MWp Fox Cover Solar Farm in Seaham.

The development will provide clean, sustainable energy for the region, powering approximately 3,100 homes annually and reducing carbon emissions by 1,700 tonnes per year.

It marks the first renewable energy project of 2025 for Enviromena, a leading clean energy solutions provider committed to supporting the UK’s transition to net zero.

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This approval follows a decisive 9-2 vote by Durham County Council’s planning committee, a testament to the project’s positive contribution to the local community and the environment.

The site is close to the A182The site is close to the A182
The site is close to the A182

The project will deliver major biodiversity net gains of 213% in habitat units and 192% in hedgerow units, featuring nearly one kilometre of new native hedgerow, 4,000 square metres of woodland planting, and eight hectares of meadow grassland habitat.

It will be located near the former Dawdon Colliery, marking a significant transition from the region’s coal mining heritage to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

As Councillor Kevin Shaw noted during the committee hearing: “The development is within 100 yards of where the former Dawdon Colliery was, where we had over 100 years of extracting coal which had a huge impact on the environment.”

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Throughout the planning process the company collaborated extensively with statutory consultees and received no objections to the application.

The Seaham site received no objections to the applicationThe Seaham site received no objections to the application
The Seaham site received no objections to the application

Mark Harding, Chief Development Officer at Enviromena, commented: “We are thrilled by this planning approval and grateful for the overwhelming support from Durham County Council and the local community.

“Given the public attention that solar farm developments usually attract, the fact that this project had no objections from the local community for statutory consultees speaks volumes for the suitability of the location of the site and the efforts made by the team to develop this scheme

“This project exemplifies our commitment to delivering renewable energy projects that provide substantial environmental and social benefits, helping the UK achieve its net-zero goals.”

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In addition to the direct benefits of the project, Enviromena have also engaged extensively with Seaham Town Council regarding community benefits and have agreed to fund some key projects in the local area. Engagement with the town council will continue in the coming months in order to bring these projects to fruition.

Enviromena remains dedicated to developing projects that positively impact communities and the environment. The Fox Cover Solar Farm will contribute to the UK’s renewable energy targets, supporting the government’s ambition of 70GW of solar energy capacity by 2035.

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