We had a very informative tour of the local Solar Farm at Broxted, which, when built 10 years ago was the largest in the UK. It stands on the highest plateau in Suffolk, but the geography is used to its fullest advantage so you could drive right past and hardly know it was there. The site now generates enough power to supply the whole of Haverhill (residential).
We took a tractor ride around the site – stopping at points of interest – learning many facts along the way about the site was used during WWII as an airfield and how the runway concrete was broken up in the 1980s and used in part for the foundation of the M11.
The solar farm has had great success in attracting wildlife to the area – there is a successful breeding programme in place for turtle doves, and the introduction of a wooded area and two large ponds have increased the biodiversity of the site.
There is a newly installed permissive path along the edge of the solar farm with interpretation boards at regular interval. I highly recommend it!
