Developer Enviromena has started construction on the Longpasture solar farm in County Durham, North East England. Enviromena describes it as its second-largest UK project to date, at 68 MWp.
What’s new
- Construction began in summer 2026.
- A £100,000 community benefit fund launched alongside it.
- Enviromena is targeting energisation in autumn 2027.
What stays the same or isn’t confirmed
- The farm isn’t producing power yet, and the 2027 date is a target, not a commitment.
- The 14,000 homes figure is Enviromena’s estimate, and the announcement doesn’t state the assumptions behind it.
- The sources don’t link this farm to any customer’s bill.
What is being built
Enviromena bought Longpasture from Bluefield Solar and Lightrock Power in August 2025. Its project page lists a 132 kV grid connection and a battery energy storage system alongside the solar array. The page also says the project holds a Contract for Difference from allocation round 6, with index-linked revenue for 15 years. Enviromena says it expects about 14,000 homes’ worth of electricity a year from the farm.
The project page lists planned tree and hedgerow planting, wildflower meadows and other ecological mitigation areas. The construction announcement says only that the project includes several ecological enhancements.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 68 MWp | SolarQuarter; Enviromena release |
| Homes per year (estimate) | About 14,000 | SolarQuarter; Enviromena release |
| Community fund | £100,000 (£80,000 via Point North) | SolarQuarter; The Energyst |
| Energisation target | Autumn 2027 | SolarQuarter; Enviromena |
The community fund
Point North, the community foundation for County Durham and Tees Valley, will administer £80,000 through an open application process for local groups. The other £20,000 supports smaller and grassroots groups, including North East sports clubs, and some of it is already allocated. Bluefield and Lightrock had made the initial commitment, and Enviromena is delivering it. It is a one-off fund, not an annual payment, and it goes to groups through applications. It doesn’t reduce anyone’s energy bill.
A figure that doesn’t add up
Enviromena’s project page lists a forecast output of 67,730 MWh a year with a footnote assuming 2,700 kWh per average UK home. That arithmetic would give a larger homes figure than 14,000. The two couldn’t be reconciled, so treat the homes number as approximate.
Why It Matters to You
- Local groups in County Durham and Tees Valley can apply for the £80,000 handled by Point North. The fund is open now, and the announcement doesn’t list rules or deadlines.
- Nearby residents get wildflower meadows and tree and hedgerow planting, according to the project page, once the farm is built.
- Electricity from the farm is a 2027 prospect, and it sells into the wider grid. Nothing in the sources promises lower household bills.
Questions people ask
Is Longpasture generating power? No. Construction started in summer 2026, and Enviromena targets energisation in autumn 2027.
How do local groups apply for the fund? Point North runs an open application process for £80,000 of it. Check Point North’s website for rules and deadlines, which the announcement doesn’t list.
Will it lower my bill? The sources make no claim that it will. The farm sells into the wider grid, and household bills depend on many other costs.
Who built it first? Bluefield Solar and Lightrock Power developed it. Enviromena completed the acquisition in August 2025.
Sources
- SolarQuarter: Enviromena begins construction of Longpasture Solar Farm, its second-largest UK project (Aug 24, 2026)
- Enviromena: Works starts and £100,000 community fund launches at County Durham solar farm (Aug 24, 2026)
- Enviromena: Longpasture, Durham (project page) (accessed Oct 13, 2026)
- The Energyst: Enviromena begins works and launches £100,000 community fund at County Durham solar farm (accessed Oct 13, 2026)