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03

Stage Three: The Assessments

Beth Girvan, Lead Project Consultant at Cogeo

image of farm barn using solar panels

Managing assessments involves coordinating many moving parts – and many specialists. As a developer, you may often find yourself caught between consultants who aren’t communicating, chasing updates and struggling to hold the project together. This leads to avoidable delays, major redesigns, mounting costs and unexpected issues that can bring your project to a halt.

But there is an alternative.

“At Cogeo, every discipline works together from the outset. We carry out the right assessments in the right order, identify risks early and resolve them before they become problems,” says Beth Girvan, Lead Project Consultant at Cogeo.

By the time we submit your application, we know the results of each assessment, have the full picture of your project and stand fully behind it.

3 reasons projects perform better with integrated assessments

We handle everything

You don’t have to call 15 different specialists to coordinate your site’s assessments. By working with us, you’ll have one team, one point of contact and one clear plan.

Fewer delays & less risk

Since our team is aligned from day one, your project moves smoothly through planning and is ready for construction once approved.

Your project works in real life

We assess everything necessary for your project to operate under real-world conditions. Utilising our knowledge and experience, we ensure your project is practical, buildable and will function day-to-day, rather than just on paper.

Our assessment approach in practice

When Bluestone proposed a 40MW solar array at Middleton Farm, we knew that glint and glare would be the defining challenge because of the site’s proximity to Glasgow Airport.

In March 2025, just a few months before we began our assessments for Middleton Farm, a solar array causing glint and glare near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport forced the closure of an entire runway for two hours each day. It was a stark reminder that glint and glare are real risks with real consequences.

Our mitigation plan

Our Glint & Glare Assessment found no impact on the airport receptors, including the runway and the traffic control tower. However, we found that glare would affect nearby homes, causing discomfort for residents. It would also impact surrounding roads, including the M8. This is a serious issue as it can impair vision while driving.

To mitigate these issues, we proposed low-level planting, carefully positioned to reduce glare without blocking the array and affecting energy generation. But the right planting solution wasn’t just about reducing glare. We had to know what to plant and where to plant it to guarantee that mitigation wouldn’t create problems with the site’s wildlife, drainage, landscape, energy output and daily operations.

Here’s what this coordination looks like in reality

Glint and Glare

The planting plan reduces glint and glare on nearby homes and roads.

Ecology

We design the planting plan to protect existing on-site habitats, enhance biodiversity through carefully selected species, and align with the Local Planning Authority’s objectives.

Hydrology

The planting plan is informed by the site’s hydrology, including the locations of drainage features and flood-risk areas. We select and position the species so they can thrive long term.

Landscape

Our planting plan complements the existing landscape. We choose certain species that will soften views and maintain visual amenity.

Operation

Our planting plan operates in real-world settings. We account for its impact on the project's purpose (i.e. reducing shading for solar arrays), construction plans, and the practicalities of access and ongoing management.

Land ownership

The mitigation must align with land ownership and lease boundaries, so we implement a design that minimises the need for long-term maintenance or accounts for who is responsible for it.

Glint and Glare

The planting plan reduces glint and glare on nearby homes and roads.

Ecology

We design the planting plan to protect existing on-site habitats, enhance biodiversity through carefully selected species, and align with the Local Planning Authority’s objectives.

Hydrology

The planting plan is informed by the site’s hydrology, including the locations of drainage features and flood-risk areas. We select and position the species so they can thrive long term.

Landscape

Our planting plan complements the existing landscape. We choose certain species that will soften views and maintain visual amenity.

Operations

Our planting plan operates in real-world settings. We account for its impact on the project's purpose (i.e. reducing shading for solar arrays), construction plans, and the practicalities of access and ongoing management.

Land ownership

The mitigation must align with land ownership and lease boundaries, so we implement a design that minimises the need for long-term maintenance or accounts for who is responsible for it.

Every project has moments where the solution to one problem affects another. When that challenge appears, the right person is already in the room. We work in tandem to move the project forward together, solving issues before submission.

– Beth Girvan, Lead Project Consultant at Cogeo
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The value of Cogeo’s approach

What sets Cogeo apart is that we manage your assessments as a collective team, all working towards the same goal: the best outcome for your project. In the case of Middleton Farm, this meant turning potential conflicts from multiple assessments into a single, integrated solution. The result was a project designed to perform in real-world conditions, which moved through planning with confidence, obtained unanimous approval and was ready for construction – with no surprises.
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