Paytherden Solar Farm Update July 2025

Bluefield’s preparation for the construction of the solar farm is moving forward. The company’s contractors will be building in 3 key stages: enabling works, main build and testing & commissioning. July will see the start of the enabling works. Bluefield has appointed a local contractor to deliver these works which will include the construction of the temporary compound off the Marsh Cross junction. No works will be required on the existing access as it is already being used by larger agricultural vehicles. The enabling works will require a number of deliveries to the site, for example for aggregates to build the access track and compound area.
The local contractor will work closely with the transport company and the lorry drivers to ensure that site deliveries are managed to minimise any impact on the local road network.
Work times on site are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and 8am to 1pm on Saturday. Deliveries will be during these times, however, school drop-off and pick up times at Clyst Hydon Primary School will be avoided between the times of 8-9am and 3 4pm from Monday to Friday. It is expected that the enabling works stage will last until the end of the year, with the main build due to start in early 2026. Work to appoint an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor to carry out the main build is ongoing.
The strip mapping exercise for the archaeological survey is also among the first on-site activities. A digger will strip off the topsoil in one of the fields at Peradon Farm. This will be followed by a team of archaeologists who will carry out investigations to ascertain if any items of historic interest are present on the site. As part of the early works, we are required by the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to construct the access to the substation area, situated to the west of the site. The DNO in Devon is National Grid Electricity Distribution, formerly known as Western Power Distribution. In the autumn, dependent on the weather conditions, the team will start to work on the drainage design that has been agreed by the lead local flood authority.
This will include working with Highways on a culvert under Tale Lane to improve management of surface water.

On the 19th of June, members of the Bluefield team held a public information event about Paytherden Solar Farm’s construction at Clyst Hydon Village Hall, to meet local residents and answer any questions. We would like to thank all attendees for their interest.

Going forward, please keep an eye on our project website www.paytherdensolarfarm.co.uk for any updates in between the monthly village magazine publications.

For any further questions, concerns or feedback, please contact us on:
• consultation@yfactory.co.uk
• Freephone 0808 169 8082
• Freepost THE Y-FACTORY (no further address details or stamps required)
• www.paytherdensolarfarm.co.uk

Marlies Koutstaal
Community engagement consultant
On behalf of Bluefield