Solar farm plans could help revive Gwent Levels and local wildlife
Climate change is already reshaping the UK's environment through extreme weather events, from droughts to record-breaking rainfall. 2025, for example, saw one of the driest starts to the year on record. These dramatic shifts place huge pressure on wildlife, particularly species reliant on stable, wetland ecosystems.
The second threat is more complex. Welsh farmers today face unprecedented financial pressures due to rising energy and fuel costs. In the struggle to remain viable, many turn to intensive farming methods—practices that often rely on chemical pesticides and fertilisers. These can run off into nearby watercourses, damaging the very ecosystems that make the Gwent Levels a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Monoculture farming also provides little space for biodiversity, particularly for insects, birds, and amphibians that depend on more varied, undisturbed habitats.In contrast, solar farms—when carefully planned and managed—offer a powerful opportunity to restore biodiversity.
At Craig Y Perthi, for example, the project includes over 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadows (equivalent to 81 football pitches), planted with species such as red clover and bird's-foot trefoil to support the native Shrill Carder Bee and other vital pollinators associated with the Gwent Levels SSSI.
Figure 2 – Photo taken of a hoverfly pollinating a thistle on an operational RWE site in Warwickshire.
By eliminating pesticide use on these sites, conditions improve dramatically for a wide range of insects, which in turn provide a vital foraging opportunity for birds, bats, and small mammals. Recent studies from Lancaster University[1] and Cambridge University[2] (in partnership with the RSPB) confirm that solar farms can significantly boost populations of pollinators and farmland birds compared to nearby arable plots.
Tree and hedgerow planting is another key feature. The Craig Y Perthi scheme includes over 11.3km of new hedgerows, enhancing habitat connectivity for bats and birds while utilising existing farm gates for access to minimise disruption to existing hedging on-site.
The Gwent Levels are already in decline under the current 'do-nothing' scenario. Ground-nesting birds like the lapwing, once a more common sight, have seen sharp declines due to habitat loss and farming intensification. In the area proposed for the Craig Y Perthi site, lapwing numbers fell by 62% between 2021 and 2024 alone[3]—mirroring the wider picture of decline; since 1967 UK lapwing numbers have dropped by 55%[4].
Figure 3 - An operational RWE site in Leicestershire with a wildflower mix growing in the foreground between the hedge and the deer fence To address this, the proposed Craig Y Perthi solar project includes a 30-acre parcel of land specifically designed to support lapwing breeding, protected with predator fencing and seeded with appropriate vegetation.
Monitoring from the nearby Llanwern solar farm, required as part of the site's planning permission, has shown some encouraging results. Adaptive land management strategies are already improving outcomes for invertebrates—an essential component of the SSSI's ecological value. Furthermore, concerns over water pollution linked to solar installations have been addressed: monitoring has shown no evidence that nearby water quality issues were caused by the solar farm. The Welsh Government also commissioned a desktop assessment of existing development in the levels, which provided further food for thought.
Solar energy is a crucial part of Wales' transition to a low-carbon future. But it's not just about climate change—these projects also offer a rare opportunity to reverse biodiversity loss. When planned with care, solar farms can replace low-diversity monocultures with rich habitats, free from chemicals and tailored to the needs of wildlife.
'It's simply not accurate to label solar farms as inherently harmful to the Gwent Levels,' Johnson explains. 'When done right, they could be the very key to preserving this extraordinary landscape for future generations.'
Robin Johnson is a trained ecologist and a member of the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management. Having worked for a number of wildlife conservation charities, he currently works for RWE on schemes such as the Craig Y Perthi, a 99.9MW solar farm proposed on mostly poor-quality farmland between the M4 and the Llanwern Steel works, and adjacent to the village of Bishton in Newport. A planning application for the scheme was submitted to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) in April 2024, had hearings in March 2025 with a decision expected in late 2025. The plans are being brought forward by Wales' largest renewable energy generator, RWE, and would generate enough affordable, renewable energy to meet the equivalent needs of around 45,374 Welsh homes per annum, saving over 3,180,000 tonnes of CO2 in the process - the equivalent of planting over 52 million trees[5].
You can find out more about the scheme at www.CraigYPerthiSolarFarm.co.uk
[1] Blaydes et al (2024); New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies
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South Wales Argus
10 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Solar farm plans could help revive Gwent Levels and local wildlife
The Gwent Levels—a unique and historically rich wetland landscape—faces two major threats: climate change and intensive farming practices. Climate change is already reshaping the UK's environment through extreme weather events, from droughts to record-breaking rainfall. 2025, for example, saw one of the driest starts to the year on record. These dramatic shifts place huge pressure on wildlife, particularly species reliant on stable, wetland ecosystems. The second threat is more complex. Welsh farmers today face unprecedented financial pressures due to rising energy and fuel costs. In the struggle to remain viable, many turn to intensive farming methods—practices that often rely on chemical pesticides and fertilisers. These can run off into nearby watercourses, damaging the very ecosystems that make the Gwent Levels a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Monoculture farming also provides little space for biodiversity, particularly for insects, birds, and amphibians that depend on more varied, undisturbed contrast, solar farms—when carefully planned and managed—offer a powerful opportunity to restore biodiversity. At Craig Y Perthi, for example, the project includes over 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadows (equivalent to 81 football pitches), planted with species such as red clover and bird's-foot trefoil to support the native Shrill Carder Bee and other vital pollinators associated with the Gwent Levels SSSI. Figure 2 – Photo taken of a hoverfly pollinating a thistle on an operational RWE site in Warwickshire. By eliminating pesticide use on these sites, conditions improve dramatically for a wide range of insects, which in turn provide a vital foraging opportunity for birds, bats, and small mammals. Recent studies from Lancaster University[1] and Cambridge University[2] (in partnership with the RSPB) confirm that solar farms can significantly boost populations of pollinators and farmland birds compared to nearby arable plots. Tree and hedgerow planting is another key feature. The Craig Y Perthi scheme includes over 11.3km of new hedgerows, enhancing habitat connectivity for bats and birds while utilising existing farm gates for access to minimise disruption to existing hedging on-site. The Gwent Levels are already in decline under the current 'do-nothing' scenario. Ground-nesting birds like the lapwing, once a more common sight, have seen sharp declines due to habitat loss and farming intensification. In the area proposed for the Craig Y Perthi site, lapwing numbers fell by 62% between 2021 and 2024 alone[3]—mirroring the wider picture of decline; since 1967 UK lapwing numbers have dropped by 55%[4]. Figure 3 - An operational RWE site in Leicestershire with a wildflower mix growing in the foreground between the hedge and the deer fence To address this, the proposed Craig Y Perthi solar project includes a 30-acre parcel of land specifically designed to support lapwing breeding, protected with predator fencing and seeded with appropriate vegetation. Monitoring from the nearby Llanwern solar farm, required as part of the site's planning permission, has shown some encouraging results. Adaptive land management strategies are already improving outcomes for invertebrates—an essential component of the SSSI's ecological value. Furthermore, concerns over water pollution linked to solar installations have been addressed: monitoring has shown no evidence that nearby water quality issues were caused by the solar farm. The Welsh Government also commissioned a desktop assessment of existing development in the levels, which provided further food for thought. Solar energy is a crucial part of Wales' transition to a low-carbon future. But it's not just about climate change—these projects also offer a rare opportunity to reverse biodiversity loss. When planned with care, solar farms can replace low-diversity monocultures with rich habitats, free from chemicals and tailored to the needs of wildlife. 'It's simply not accurate to label solar farms as inherently harmful to the Gwent Levels,' Johnson explains. 'When done right, they could be the very key to preserving this extraordinary landscape for future generations.' Robin Johnson is a trained ecologist and a member of the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management. Having worked for a number of wildlife conservation charities, he currently works for RWE on schemes such as the Craig Y Perthi, a 99.9MW solar farm proposed on mostly poor-quality farmland between the M4 and the Llanwern Steel works, and adjacent to the village of Bishton in Newport. A planning application for the scheme was submitted to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) in April 2024, had hearings in March 2025 with a decision expected in late 2025. The plans are being brought forward by Wales' largest renewable energy generator, RWE, and would generate enough affordable, renewable energy to meet the equivalent needs of around 45,374 Welsh homes per annum, saving over 3,180,000 tonnes of CO2 in the process - the equivalent of planting over 52 million trees[5]. You can find out more about the scheme at [1] Blaydes et al (2024); New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies
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a day ago
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