Following this initial stage, Boffa Miskell landscape planners and ecologists prepared full assessment reports to support an Outline Plan and resource consent application and provided advice to CIAL and Lightsource BP to develop a solar farm layout that respected the underlying landscape and ecological values.

Recommendations for effects management and enhancement measures formed a critical part of the project. These included avoiding areas of vegetation and habitats with higher ecological value, plant propagation and translocations, creation of lizard habitats and lizard salvage. Substantial areas of indigenous planting assist with visually softening the proposed solar panels and positively contributing to the biodiversity of the area.

Boffa Miskell also prepared a series of visual simulations which illustrated the proposed solar park at different locations and at different times, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed planting. Boffa Miskell will continue to work with CIAL on a Landscape and Biodiversity Masterplan for Shipley’s Block.

An Outline Plan and resource consent application were lodged with Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury in July 2023. Approvals were granted in 2024 and construction is expected to start in 2025.