We will shortly be carrying out ground investigation works to better understand the ground conditions of the site.
Soil and rock samples will be collected from fields within the Longfield Solar Farm site. The results of these surveys will help inform our detailed design.
We will be collecting these samples over a period of approximately six weeks, with work finishing by 20 October 2023 and piles removed from fields by 03 November. Adverse weather conditions could result in work continuing past this date.
You may see some of our team members on-site during this period. We have checked the locations where we will be working to make sure we don’t disturb wildlife or utilities.
The samples will be collected either from trial pits dug with a JCB excavator or from a borehole drilled by a van-sized rig. Where we are drilling boreholes, you may hear some hammering for short periods. The solar panels at Longfield will be mounted on structures which will be pushed into the ground using a method called ‘piling.’ We need to carry out piling testing to ensure that the ground is stable enough to support these mounts. Again, you may hear some hammering for short periods while these tests take place.
All trial pits and window samples will be filled in shortly after taking the sample.