A local campaigner has walked the full boundary of the proposed Kingsway Solar Farm to reveal the vast scale of the development — an area larger than Heathrow Airport — and to raise awareness of the project’s far-reaching impact on the South Cambridgeshire countryside.
The walk, filmed over the summer, has been released as a series of six short videos to coincide with Kingsway’s Stage Two statutory consultation, which runs until 29 October 2025. The videos aim to help residents visualise the true size of the proposal and understand the risks it poses to farmland, wildlife and rural landscapes.
Watch the full video series here: Encircled: Walking the Kingsway Solar Farm Boundary
Statutory Consultation: A Solar Farm the Size of a Small Town
Despite a small reduction in acreage, Kingsway’s latest plans still cover more than 3,000 acres, including a 15km overhead power line connecting to Burwell South substation. The company has also increased the proposed maximum panel height to 4.2 metres, further intensifying the visual impact across the open countryside.
Unanswered Questions and Growing Concerns
KSCA argues that the current Kingsway Solar plans remain incomplete and vague, with crucial details deferred— preventing the public from fully assessing the risks.
Key weaknesses identified include:
- Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): high risk, weak safety procedures and incomplete water containment plans
- Biodiversity: missing surveys and unsubstantiated claims of achieving a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain
- Flooding and drainage: unreliable assessments with unquantified groundwater and flood risks
- Noise, traffic and vibration: insufficient evidence and poor mitigation
A major issue is Kingsway’s reliance on the Rochdale Envelope, a planning principle that allows developers to leave certain design details open. KSCA warns that Kingsway is overusing this approach, leaving essential details undefined.
A Call to Action: Consultation deadline is 29 October
The deadline to write your response is 29 October; this is your chance to have your say on the Kingsway Solar Farm proposal. We advise not using the Kingsway website form. Instead, visit our “How to Object” page for step-by-step guidance and a template letter to help you respond.
Every submission matters — make sure your voice is heard!