Eco-friendly industrial site planned by council
Units and 3,000 homes would be powered by big solar farm
COUNCIL bosses are pressing ahead with plans to develop a huge solar farm and industrial park next to the A6.
Leicestershire County Council has submitted a planning application for a £14 million development on farmland it owns off Barrow Road in Quorn.
The proposed solar farm would cover 62 acres and generate almost 10,000 megawatt hours of electricity a year – enough to power about 3,000 homes. It would also supply adjacent industrial buildings that are to be constructed as part of proposals to make the site carbon neutral.
The project aims to create a more environmentally-friendly industrial site, which would feature nine highspec industrial units and could include solar roof panels, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting and electric vehicle charging.
It is hoped to lease them out to generate income to help the council deal with a financial situation that was challenging before the coronavirus pandemic and has now been described as “dire”.
Councillor Byron Rhodes, cabinet member for finance and resources, said: “We are a green council and tackling climate change is one of our top priorities.
“We take our commitments to reduce carbon very seriously and, if approved, this solar farm would produce clean, green energy, while building units would offer businesses the chance to get their foot on the ladder or expand.
“Investing in property is a priority for the council as it means we can also generate income to plough back into services, helping to meet ever-increasing demands.”
The council will fund the scheme using one-off pots of money, including income from property sales and investment.
It said it would generate more than £830,000 a year, which would benefit services from social care to highway maintenance. The application has been submitted to the council’s own planning committee.