BayWa r.e. has secured UK government approval for its 138MW Oaklands Farm solar project in Derbyshire. The Development Consent Order (DCO), granted on 19 June by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, follows a planning review process that began earlier this year.
The ground-mounted solar installation is set for agricultural land between Rosliston and Walton-on-Trent. A 37.5MW battery energy storage system will be co-located with the solar array, supporting grid reliability and capacity.
Connection is planned via the Drakelow substation, formerly part of a coal-fired power station near Burton-upon-Trent.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with operations expected to start by 2028. This marks BayWa r.e.’s first UK solar project to receive DCO approval, and its fourth solar approval this year, bringing its 2025 UK pipeline to 235MW.
The project supports the UK’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan and strengthens BayWa r.e.’s position in the renewables market through large-scale infrastructure aligned with national decarbonisation goals.
