Who is Uniper?

Uniper is a European energy company with global reach and operations in more than 40 countries. It has about 7000 employees and plays a key role in ensuring a secure energy supply in Europe, particularly in its core markets of Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

Uniper's 18.5 gigawatts of flexible power generating capacity make it a mainstay of reliable power production. Uniper is a leading gas trader and one of Northwestern Europe's most important liquefied natural gas (LNG) importers, and its broad procurement portfolio enhances supply security.

Uniper's investments in renewables, hydrogen, and other low-carbon energy carriers propel the transformation of the energy system.

Uniper in the UK

In the UK, Uniper owns and operates a flexible generation portfolio of six power stations, a fast-cycle gas storage facility, two high pressure gas pipelines, and regasification capacity at the Grain LNG terminal in Kent. We're also progressing CCS and hydrogen projects, and expanding our onshore wind and solar portfolio, to further support energy security in the UK.

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Current Site Boundary

Why do we need more solar development?

As the UK becomes more reliant on electricity, with the electrification of sectors such as transport, heating and industry, more power generation capacity will be needed. According to the UK's independent advisor on climate change, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), demand for electricity is forecast to increase by 50% by 2035.

Against this backdrop of increasing demand, security of energy supply needs to be a key area of focus. To both achieve this and the UK's decarbonisation goals, the CCC has advised that a range of different technologies will be needed in the UK to maintain a secure and stable supply of electricity.

Government's CP30 (Clean Power 2030) has an ambitious mission to decarbonise the electricity system by 2030, aiming for at least 95% of generation to come from clean sources. Solar is essential for reaching the UK Government's target of 95% of electricity generation from low-carbon sources by 2030 in part because solar panels, can be installed much faster than some other renewable infrastructure, making them key to meeting the 2030 target.

To help achieve this, the UK Government's Solar Roadmap, published in June 2025, sets out a robust plan to accelerate the expansion of solar energy nationwide. At its core, the roadmap commits to increasing the UK's installed solar capacity to at least 70 gigawatts (GW) by 2035, up from approximately 15 GW in 2025. This growth will be achieved through a blend of large-scale solar farms and widespread rooftop installations across homes, schools, commercial and public buildings.

*Mythbuster*

Is renewable energy reliable enough? Renewable energy provided 44% of the UK's energy in 2025. Solar was responsible for 6.5% of the energy generated last year. Alongside solar and other renewable generation, flexible dispatchable technologies, including gas-fired generation, are needed to maintain system stability.

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	Proposed Underground Cable Route
	Current Site Boundary

Sutton Bonington Solar Farm

*Mythbuster*

Won't this mean more traffic? Solar farms are constructed using modular components, allowing for a phased and efficient installation process. A Construction Traffic Management Plan will accompany the planning application, setting out agreed delivery routes, vehicle movements and mitigation measures to manage construction impacts.

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	Current Site Boundary
	Developable areas for Solar Panels
	Access Tracks
	Proposed Vehicle Access

Land use and agriculture

The site is currently in agricultural use.

Solar farms are classified as temporary developments under planning regulations. If planning permission is granted, the proposed solar farm would operate for approximately 40 years. At the end of this period, the site would be fully decommissioned, and the land reinstated in accordance with planning requirements.

The landowner would have the option, at their discretion, to introduce grazing livestock within parts of the site during operation, should they wish to do so. Uniper would not be responsible for agricultural activity on the land. Detailed land management arrangements will be submitted as part of the planning application.

Leasing land for renewable energy projects can provide landowners with a long-term and predictable income stream, supporting continued land management.

*Mythbuster*

Why can't we use rooftop solar instead of farmland? The UK Government's Solar Roadmap and the Climate Change Committee's Sixth Carbon Budget both assume substantial growth in solar capacity. This growth is expected to come from a combination of rooftop installations and ground-mounted solar developments.

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New Wildflower Planting

Environment and ecology

A range of ecological surveys have been undertaken including, but limited to, a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, as well as surveys for bats, reptiles, breeding birds, and wintering birds. These have found up to eight species of bats and farmland birds such as skylarks, though no evidence of reptiles were found. These surveys will continue to inform ongoing discussions regarding the solar farm's extent and layout, as well as the type of ecological enhancements suitable for the site.

The development may reduce areas of open land used by a small number of bird species that prefer open habitats for breeding. We recognise the importance of understanding these potential effects. Ongoing ecological surveys and discussions with Rushcliffe Borough Council's ecologist will inform any appropriate mitigation and management measures. These will be submitted as part of the planning application.

The proposals are expected to include the establishment of grassland and wildflower within and around the solar panels to support biodiversity. Hedgerow and tree planting is proposed, together with filling up any gaps in the existing hedgerows. As a result of these measures, the solar farm is expected to provide significant levels of biodiversity improvements within the site. These habitat management proposals will be secured through a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan.

Along with the natural environment, a cultural heritage desktop and site walkover survey has been undertaken to help understand the site's cultural heritage context. This has been supported by an onsite geophysical survey to map what might be beneath the surface. This will be followed by trial trenching to enable the archaeologists to get an even better understanding of the site's history.

So far, there appears to be circular features, a possible enclosure, and field systems, all of which may potentially be indicative of Bronze Age to Iron Age activity. There is also the possibility that the linear features could represent a subsequent Iron Age/Roman field system. Evidence of ridge and furrow have also been identified, as well as modern agricultural activity and geological variation.

The desktop review found that a Mesolithic to Bronze Age macehead was found roughly 900 m south-west of the Site, and that a Neolithic stone axehead was found c.250m south-west of the Site, as a casual find within a rectory garden.

Roman records within the search area comprise the findspot of a Roman coin and Roman features and artefacts, including a gully, ditch, pits and pottery, c.250-300m to the south-west.

*Mythbuster*

Doesn't putting structures in a field destroy habitats? The project will be subject to mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain requirements under the Environment Act 2021. This requires development to deliver measurable improvements to biodiversity, supported by habitat creation and long-term land management secured through planning conditions.

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	New Wildflower Planting
	New Tree/Hedge Planting
	New Hedge planting
	New Tree planting
	Existing Public Rights of Way

Impact on the local community

The solar panels will be approximately 2.5 m in height and mounted on supports, allowing them to be angled for efficient electricity generation.

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application. Initial assessments indicate that existing field boundaries and topography provide a degree of screening, and further mitigation will be considered where appropriate. This would include managing existing and proposed hedgerows to grow to a height of 3m, as well as tree planting.

We will aim to minimise disruption during the construction period. The existing Public Right of Way (PRoW) would be retained during operation, although temporary management arrangements may be required during construction and would be agreed with Rushcliffe Borough Council.

*Mythbuster*

Don't solar panels generate glare? The nature of solar panels means they absorb light. This means any glare on the panels is limited. It would likely happen for a short period when the sun rises or sets. The field boundaries in place will mean this will not be visible from roads. Although the potential for glare is low, a glint and glare assessment is being undertaken to determine this and to suggest any required mitigation measures.

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	Montage Viewpoints
	New Hedge planting
	New Tree planting
	Existing Public Rights of Way

Community Benefit Fund

If planning permission is granted and the project becomes operational, there would be a community benefit fund associated with the solar farm.

The proposed contribution would be £1,000 per MW of installed capacity per year. Based on the current design, this would equate to an annual fund of approximately £50,000.

The fund would be established in line with Uniper's corporate policy. Details of how the fund would operate, including governance arrangements and eligibility criteria, would be developed in consultation with the local community and in accordance with Uniper's compliance requirements.

As part of this consultation, we are seeking feedback on local priorities and the types of initiatives that a community benefit fund could support. This feedback will help inform how the fund is structured, should the project proceed.

Further information on the proposed structure of the fund would be provided as the project progresses.

*Mythbuster*

Has the community benefit fund already been allocated? No. If the project proceeds, details of how the fund would operate and the types of initiatives it could support would be developed in consultation with the local community and in accordance with Uniper's corporate policy and compliance requirements.

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Current Site Boundary

Why not use land at the former Ratcliffe- on-Soar power station site?

The primary focus of the Local Development Order (LDO) at the Ratcliffe site is to provide high value low carbon energy and employment uses. This makes best use of the site characteristics with excellent road, rail and grid connectivity, access to water, and proximity to the airport. The LDO sets out the expectation for either rooftop solar or green roofs, on new developments on the site.

There is an area of south-facing hillside allocated for standalone solar within the LDO. This is 10.5ha plot so would form a comparatively small solar scheme, and smaller than the scheme we propose at Sutton Bonington. This plot is part of the land British Gypsum proposes to quarry. Therefore, it will not be available for solar development until after the quarry is completed.

For the above reasons, solar developments could come forward on the Ratcliffe site under the LDO, but at a smaller scale and predominantly on rooftops, as the site is developed.

A solar farm at Sutton Bonington will bring many benefits. This scheme could:

• Contribute towards decarbonising electricity generation in the UK.


• Improve biodiversity and support local wildlife.


• Provide temporary employment during the construction phase, potentially generating expenditure within the construction supply chain


• Create a Community Benefit Fund to support local priorities.

We would be interested to hear what you think. Scroll to the next section to answer our survey.

*Mythbuster*

Can't brownfield land meet all our needs? Government policy recognises that brownfield land alone cannot meet the country's residential, commercial, energy and industrial needs.

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Current Site Boundary

Give us your thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read more about the proposed Sutton Bonington Solar Farm. Please complete the brief survey below. Your views really matter to us.

info Click on the button below to answer the survey.

The survey will close on 13th April 2026.