Welsh Government approves council’s plan for enormous solar farm

Caerphilly Council has won planning permission for a major solar farm near Penyrheol that could generate enough electricity to power 6,000 homes.

Julie James, the Welsh Government’s cabinet secretary for planning, signed off on the decision on Wednesday May 29 for the roughly 20MW capacity project at Cwm Ifor Farm.

Billed as what could be the largest publicly-owned solar farm in Wales, Cwm Ifor is the brainchild of Caerphilly Council, which at the time of submitting the planning application had not ruled out selling the project to another party.

The council has been approached for comment on the government’s decision.

The project has already received council backing but required Welsh Government assent because the size of the solar farm means it is considered to be a “development of national significance”.

A senior councillor previously said the move to invest in renewable energy was in line with its commitments to achieve carbon-neutral status and reduce emissions.