River Trent Solar Farm

Working to power over 14,500 homes with clean, secure, renewable energy, while

supporting nature and providing lasting benefits for the local community.

River Trent Solar Farm

Qualitas Energy is looking to bring forward plans for River Trent Solar Farm on land off Butterwick Road, West Common North Road and Sand Lane, Messingham, North Lincolnshire, DN17 3AU.

The proposed solar farm would have an estimated export capacity of 50 Megawatts (MW) AC of renewable energy, enough to power approximately 14,500 homes [1] and will result in an approximate saving of 10,860 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year [2]. 10,860 tonnes of CO2 is the equivalent of removing 7,584 petrol cars from the road [3].

This solar farm will provide clean energy to meet the UK's electricity demand, helping to build a more stable and secure energy system while supporting nature, helping tackle climate change and providing lasting benefits for the local community.

Qualitas Energy will apply for planning permission for River Trent Solar Farm to North Lincolnshire Council. We are aiming to submit this application in March 2026.

[1] Year one output has been calculated by multiplying the proposed development’s generation capacity (50 MW) by the total hours in a year (8,766, accounting for leap years), then applying a capacity factor for solar PV schemes operating in the UK on an unchanged configuration basis (10.9%, average of 2012–2024 data) (DESNZ, 2025). Reference data: DUKES 6.3 Excel file. Year one output was then divided by 3,301 kWh (annual electricity consumption for an average UK household) (DESNZ, 2024). Further details: Subnational electricity & gas consumption report, providing an estimated number of homes powered per annum.
[2] This saving is calculated by multiplying estimated total output in year 1 (47,866MWh), by the UK’s current grid average factor, inclusive of Well-to-tank (WTT), and WTT transmission and distribution (DESNZ 2025)
[3] Based on an average emission of 143.5 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre (the average for petrol cars registered in 2024 – see here, reference VEH0156) and average annual car mileage of 6,200 miles or 9,978 kilometres (the average mileage for petrol cars in 2024 – see here, reference NTS0901).

The project is still at a very early stage, and we are committed to open and meaningful community engagement throughout the process. Our initial outreach has focused on the properties closest to the proposed site. We have also contacted the Parish Council, the local North Lincolnshire ward councillor and MP. We have also asked North Lincolnshire District Council for their view on the environmental assessments required to accompany the planning application to ensure all potential impacts are carefully considered, understood and mitigated/enhanced.
As our plans progress, we will be engaging more widely with stakeholders and inviting local people to participate in a public consultation, where everyone will have the opportunity to share their views and help influence the proposals. Full details will be shared shortly.
We want to ensure our proposals are shaped by local insight. As we progress with the project, this website will be updated to provide more information about the initial proposals.

Two sheep standing in a grassy field with solar panels in the background.

Draft proposals

River Trent Solar Farm is being proposed on land off Butterwick Road, approximately 1.2km east of East Butterwick and 3km west of Messingham.

The area of panel coverage is c.90 ha, although this will also include tracks and some ecological landscape enhancement measures.

Download Location Map

The site has been carefully selected following a detailed feasibility process, with consideration given to residential amenity, landscape and visual considerations, grid capacity, grid connection location, solar irradiation, environmental designations, cultural heritage, ecology, biodiversity, flood risk and agricultural land quality.

There are very few points of connection remaining across the country which can be used without causing significant stress or adverse effects to the electricity grid networks. It is fairly typical for solar farm projects to be located outside of urban areas and within the countryside, where the space to accommodate such a development exists.

The River Trent Solar Farm would be a temporary development, with a total operational period of 40 years. After this, we would fully decommission and restore the land, which would revert to its previous use.

An initial review of the site’s environmental context has highlighted several benefits for this site location:
- There are no designated heritage assets on or immediately adjoining the site.
- The site lies outside of the Green Belt, Country Parks, National Parks, and any designated national or local landscape designation.
- The site has good access from the highway network.
- The site is not covered by any international, national or local conservation or ecological designations.
- The site would benefit from the restoration of wildlife habitats lost due to intensive farming practices over many years.
- It benefits from flood defences and the introduction of solar panels will not lead to increased flood risk
- There are existing hedgerows that will help screen the solar panels which can be extended and reinforced
- The proposed substation is located on poor quality agricultural land, and low intensity sheep grazing is suitable on land around the solar panels
- A 132 kV overhead line passes over the site, which would connect the solar farm to the electricity grid via an on-site substation compound, avoiding disruptive cable route construction on local roads and the need for new overhead lines.

Whilst the project is still being designed in detail, we consider at this stage that the project would include the following components:
- Solar panels and frames
- Inverters and transformers
- Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and customer substation compound
- Underground cabling
- Internal access tracks
- Highway access
- Fencing and CCTV
- Surface water drainage provisions
- Landscape and biodiversity enhancements
- Temporary construction compounds

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Request

We recently submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Request to North Lincolnshire Council.

Download Screening Request

This marks an early step in the planning process, which enables us to establish the environmental assessments that will need to be submitted with the planning application. Following this, we will be undertaking environmental surveys and assessments and consulting with the public and key stakeholders in order to prepare more detailed project proposals.

When we submit our planning application, scheduled for March 2026, we will include the following information:
- Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment;
- Ecology surveys including breeding bird and wintering bird surveys;
- Ecological Impact Assessment and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) calculations, BNG Assessment;
- Landscape and ecological management plan (if required);
- Outline Construction Environmental Management Plan;
- Arboricultural Impact Assessment;
- Agricultural land survey and assessment report;
- Outline Soil Management Plan;
- Flood Risk Assessment (including exception test statement) and Drainage Strategy;
- Surface Water Drainage Strategy;
- Heritage Assessment including archaeological assessment;
- Noise Impact Assessment;
- Glint and Glare Assessment;
- Transport Statement;
- Outline Construction Traffic Management Plan

It is our intention that the planning application will incorporate measures both to mitigate potential adverse environmental effects and to enhance environmental benefits, wherever possible, through informed and high-quality design.

The River Trent Solar Farm would include measures to support wildlife. Sections of the site would be proactively managed for biodiversity and wildlife enhancement, including additional planting, and we typically deliver well in excess of the minimum 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) legally required to be achieved.

The areas which would be used for wildlife enhancement would be developed in more detail as the design progresses, but are likely to include areas within and around the solar panels, as well as potentially some parts of the site where no panels would be located.

We have prepared a proposed Indicative Site Layout and Opportunities Plan, which can be viewed below. This sets out our high-level proposals for the site at this point in time. The design may change following public consultation and stakeholder engagement.

Download Indicative Site Layout and Opportunities Plan

About Qualitas Energy

Qualitas Energy has been leading the drive of renewable energy, energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure development in Europe for over 18 years. We consist of a team of professionals who work together, sharing objectives and a commitment to sustainability. 

In total, 1.2 million homes have been supplied with clean energy from Qualitas Energy’s electricity generation. Qualitas Energy currently has 585 MW of solar production in operation and 6.1 GW in development worldwide.

With offices in London, Bristol, and Edinburgh as well as over 20 staff in the UK, Qualitas Energy is committed to accelerating the energy transition in the UK. Everything that we do, we do it believing in our purpose which is to enable a more sustainable and greener future for the generations to come.