South Brooks Solar Farm Plans Revised After Developable Area Cut by 20%

EDF Power Solutions UK and PS Renewables have revised plans for the proposed South Brooks Solar Farm near Lydd in Kent, reducing the project’s developable area by around 20% and launching a new round of public consultation to gather community feedback on the updated solar and battery storage scheme. 

South Brooks Solar Farm is a proposed large-scale solar energy and battery storage development planned near Lydd on Romney Marsh in Kent, England. The project is being jointly promoted by EDF Power Solutions UK and PS Renewables, to generate up to 500 megawatts of renewable electricity — enough to power more than 140,000 homes annually. The solar farm would connect to the National Grid through the Dungeness Substation and forms part of the UK’s wider transition toward low-carbon energy infrastructure. 

According to the revised proposals published in May 2026, the developers have reduced the project’s developable area by around 20% following public consultation feedback, environmental surveys, and technical assessments. The reduction is intended to lessen impacts on agricultural land, local landscapes, biodiversity, and nearby communities. The project includes solar photovoltaic panels, battery energy storage systems, underground cabling, access tracks, substations, and associated infrastructure. Developers say the scheme would operate for approximately 60 years before the land could potentially be restored to agricultural use. During operation, some areas beneath and between the solar panels may continue to support activities such as sheep grazing and habitat creation for pollinators and wildlife. 

Because the proposed generating capacity exceeds the UK threshold for a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), the scheme must go through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process overseen by the UK Planning Inspectorate and ultimately decided by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. As part of this process, a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is being conducted to examine potential effects on ecology, cultural heritage, landscape and visual amenity, hydrology, flood risk, transport, and access. Public consultation remains a central part of the planning process. The first phase of consultation took place between September and October 2025, while a second consultation round is scheduled for 2026 to gather feedback on the revised plans and preliminary environmental findings. Local councils, statutory agencies, environmental bodies, and community stakeholders are being engaged throughout the project’s development.