This page sets out what is being proposed, where, and by whom based on the developer's own published material and what we have been able to verify locally.
NOTE: Phase 2 was the plan all along. They didn't say so. Ash Farm Solar was granted planning permission in 2024 with no reference to a second phase. This application is that second phase. Construction at Ash Farm has not started because the developer has been waiting for this approval before breaking ground.
Planners call this creeping development: secure a foothold, expand from it. It only stops when the community stops it.
WHAT IS BEING APPLIED FOR
The application proposes:
• An additional 40 acres of ground-mounted solar panels at Hackmead Farm, on the Jolliffe Estate, connecting to the same approved substation at the neighbouring 16-acre Ash Farm,
• Together, the two phases would create more than 56 acres of industrial solar development on a single ridge between Charlton and Holcombe,
• Ancillary infrastructure: inverters, transformers and associated equipment,
• Security fencing around the perimeter,
• CCTV across the site,
• New access tracks for construction and maintenance,
• Underground cable routing connecting to the substation already approved at Ash Farm
WHERE IT IS AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE
The site sits on the ridge between Charlton and Holcombe, sloping north. It is in clear view from:
• Westfield
• Radstock
• Haydon
• Kilmersdon (including School Lane)
• Writhlington
• Peasedown St. John
• Charlton (very close, very conspicuous)
• Ammerdown Column
• Many footpaths, bridleways and minor roads in between
• Radstock
• Haydon
• Kilmersdon (including School Lane)
• Writhlington
• Peasedown St. John
• Charlton (very close, very conspicuous)
• Ammerdown Column
• Many footpaths, bridleways and minor roads in between
This is what planners call creeping development: secure a foothold, then expand from it. It only stops when the community stops it.
THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE APPLICATION
The application is being put forward under the names Tyler Hill Consulting and Zenexa Renewables.
What we have established so far:
• Tyler Hill Consulting is the same organisation behind Ash Farm Solar Ltd. Its founder registered seven new companies in January 2026 alone.
• Zenexa Renewables has existed for under two years and is already on its third trading name.
• Behind these front-facing names sits a network of related companies registered across multiple jurisdictions.
• The developer's published "Community Benefit Fund" is a standard offering used across the industry to soften local opposition.
We will continue to update this page as we verify more.
KEY DATES
• Thursday 14 May 2026: Public Consultation. Royal British Legion Club, Memorial Hall, Anchor Road, Coleford, Radstock, BA3 5PB, between 3 pm and 7 pm.
• [Date TBC] — Formal consultation deadline
• [Date TBC] — Planning committee decision
KEY DOCUMENTS