The Cleve Hill Solar Park, situated on the Graveney marshes near Faversham, Kent, has undergone significant developments since its inception. Here's a timeline highlighting key milestones:

 

2018: Initial Proposal

• Developers Wirsol Energy and Hive Energy proposed the Cleve Hill Solar Park, aiming to create the UK's largest solar farm on the Graveney marshes.

 

May 2020: Development Consent Granted

• The project received development consent from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, marking it as the first solar farm in the UK to be classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. 

 

October 2021: Change in Ownership

• Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners acquired the project from Hive Energy and Wirsol Energy, subsequently renaming it Project Fortress. 

 

April 2023: Construction Commences

• Construction began on the solar park, with plans to complete and connect it to the National Grid by early 2025. 

 

October 2024: Power Purchase Agreements

• Tesco and Shell signed agreements to purchase the entire output of the solar park, which was originally intended to power approximately 100,000 homes. 

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February 2025: Ongoing Construction

• As of February 2025, construction is ongoing, with the project expected to be completed by Autumn 2025.

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This timeline outlines the major developments of the Cleve Hill Solar Park project from its initial proposal in 2018 to its current status in early 2025.