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Banking giant bids for almost 800 solar panels at Harrogate offices

Wednesday, 15 May 2024 07:18

By Thomas Barrett, Local Democracy Reporter

Vocalink offices. (Photo: Mastercard)

Mastercard has applied to North Yorkshire Council to erect 779 solar panels at offices in Cardale Park in Harrogate.

The company owns payment systems provider Vocalink which has a base at the business park off Otley Road.

The building houses Mastercard’s Harrogate data centre, which the company said in planning documents processes data for companies in the financial services sector.

The nature of its operations means that it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In the planning application, the firm said solar-powered green energy could generate around 25% of all the electricity used on the site if approved.

The solar panels would be placed adjacent to the offices and the council had asked that a ‘glint and glare’ assessment be provided to assess the potential impact on the surroundings.

This report concluded that throughout the year, car drivers at Cardale Park and nearby residents would be subjected to “minor to moderate” distressful conditions from the solar panels.

It said the glare can be avoided with the help of mitigation measures including planting hedgerows.

A design and access statement attached to the application said:

“The PV panels will be used to generate green energy to power the data centre housed within 4 Cardale Park.

"Mastercard are intending to reduce the emissions generated through their operations onsite and in conjunction with the existing PV panels on the roof of the site, a significant amount of green energy can be produced.

“The fence proposed will secure the field where the PV panels will be sited and be 2.4m in height and green coloured.

"The colour of the fence will blend in with the planning proposed but will largely be screened from view as a result of the proposed planting.”

North Yorkshire Council will decide on the plans at a later date.

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