Moto has submitted a formal request for a screening opinion for plans to build a solar farm adjacent to Wetherby Services on the A1(M) to power its EV charge points.
Working for Moto, Rapleys applied to North Yorkshire County Council to determine whether the proposed development requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The application said Moto wants to lead the national transition to EVs and futureproof its sites, while also reducing negative environmental impacts and the use of natural resources.
By 2025, Moto says it will need two and a half times as much power as it currently uses to service the growing number of ultra-rapid EV charging points required. The planning application said it is necessary for service stations to evolve so that they can continue to provide an important service for customers.
The proposed development at Wetherby Services forms part of Moto’s wider strategy to bring forward solar farms on land adjacent to its existing sites, which will generate crucially required electricity to power the EV chargers at its services.
The site in question measures 5.23 hectares and is located on a parcel of land to the north of Wetherby Services, within open countryside.
The proposal is for the erection of a solar farm, with a total installed capacity of up to 7MW. The scheme will be designed to minimise and alleviate its influence on the area’s identity, and it will integrate strategies for enriching biodiversity and enhancing the landscape.
Solar PV layout has been designed to include as many continuous rows as possible to help achieve a uniform installation from a visual perspective.
In a separate planning application, Moto is seeking to add 200 new HGV parking spaces at Wetherby Services.
