King Charles plans to set up huge solar farm on his Norfolk estate
16th April 2024
Plans have been submitted to build 2,000 solar panels at the Sandringham royal estate that belongs to King Charles III.
The solar farm would be located on horse grazing paddocks and provide a combined total of 2.1 MW of zero-carbon energy for the 20,000 acre estate.
The planning application submitted to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council stated that the development would not result in the loss of any productive agricultural land.
Supporting country’s climate and environmental goals
It continues: “The proposal is driven not only by the economics of energy production, but also by the estate’s desire to reduce environmental impact and operate in a manner which supports the country’s wider climate and environmental goals.
“The site has been carefully selected on the basis that it allows for optimum solar panel orientation (maximising each panel’s productivity) and also because it is well screened, visually contained and forms part of the ‘operational’ land within the estate, being flanked by the estate’s works yard and the royal stud.”
The solar farm is expected to have an operational lifespan of 40 years. After this time the land would be returned to horse grazing.
Solar panels are set to supply energy to Sandringham House, the visitor centre and the Sawmill.
Owned by the monarch
Sandringham House is one of King Charles’ residences. His grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there.
The house, listed as Grade II, stands on a estate in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Its landscaped gardens, park and woodlands are on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
The Queen spent about two months each winter on the Sandringham Estate, including the anniversary of her father’s death and of her own accession in early February.
In 1957, she broadcasted her first televised Christmas message from Sandringham. Twenty years later, the Queen opened the house and grounds to the public for the first time to mark her Silver Jubilee.
Unlike the royal palaces owned by the Crown, such as Buckingham Palace, Sandringham is owned personally by the monarch.
In 2022, following the Queen’s death, Sandringham passed to her son and heir, Charles III.
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