Billed as one of Britain's biggest solar farm projects to date, Stroud-based energy giant Ecotricity's Heckington Fen, which is now green-lit by Westminster for work to commence, could soon be under the banner of a new owner.

Ecotricity boss Dale Vince has hired number crunchers from KPMG to oversee the potential sale of the 644-hectare project on land in sunny Lincolnshire, which Ed Milliband, as the Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, signed off on January 24.

Details of the intended sale indicate that the renewable energy project may see an entire new owner although, depending on what's hammered out, Mr Vince's firm could also retain an interest in the project.

Critics of the plan claim it will eat productive farmland in Lincolnshire, which is famed for its hours of sunlight, though planners has demonstrated that less than 1% of the county's land is affected by this and other formative projects, while the investment helps to ensure the UK's energy independance and is essential for the UK's quest for ditching fossil fuels.

A report from Ecotricity and the Pegasus Group, filed in late 2023, shows how ground-mounted solar photovoltaic capacity for the approved plant was set to produce 500 megawatts (a number subsequently upgraded to 600 megawatts) while some 400 megawatt-capacity battery storage would also be built, with anticipated cost for the work coming to £400m.

As a broad measure, the project's output is earmarked to supply some 200,000 homes with power, while hedgerows and woodland planting have ensured the project meets requirements for a 10% biodiversity gain.

The report stated: "The Ecotricity Group would look to construct, operate and decommission the proposed development under a turnkey or full EPC contract", but it now apears that a rethink has led to the sale decision.

In a statement this week, Mr Vince said Heckington Fen represented a "fabulous" investment opportunity as "possibly the biggest onshore renewable initiative in Britain".

He said: "The project is shovel-ready with a grid connection in 2028 – something which is increasingly hard to find these days. This is a great project, we've been working on it for over a decade and we're so glad it's finally able to go ahead - but the sums of money required to build this are beyond what Ecotricity can fund alone, so we're looking for investors or partners to help make this happen."

Initial outlines for the park from Ecotricity showed that a community orchard and 4km of new footpaths would be added to existing routes, while hundreds of jobs will be created and "the site will give farmers an additional source of income, helping to protect their farms for the future".

The plans also included a commitment to contribute business rates totalling some £1m per year, totalling £40m over the project lifetime, to North Kesteven District Council.

Ecotricity added: "Heck Fen is a fantastic initiative. It is the right thing in the right place at the right time - as we push to get to 100% green energy in the next five years."

● The firm is hopeful to have completed a sale of the project by this autumn.