Huge solar farm could be built in fields

A HUGE solar farm could be built in the north of Glasgow on greenbelt fields outside Milton and Summerston.

More than 60,000 photovoltaic panels could cover acres of farmland and produce enough electricity for 10,200 flats a year, according to planning documents.

If the plans get the go-ahead for the land at Lochfauld Road and Balmore Road it would be the city’s first ground-mounted solar farm.

A planning application has been lodged with Glasgow City Council by firm Derwent London Green Energy Ltd for the 25-year bid – dubbed the Caledonian Solar Park. The land spans about 44 hectares (109 acres) and the south facing ground-mounted photovoltaic panels would take up one third of that ground. A planning statement said: “The proposed development will involve the installation of ground mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels with associated infrastructure to generate up to 18.4 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy which will feed directly into the local electricity grid network.”

It is estimated the solar park would take six months to construct. As it is a renewable energy proposal it is considered acceptable to build on greenbelt, according to the council’s city development plan.

The document said the development would “bring arable farmland into sustainable use whilst still allowing for sheep grazing” and most of the site “will be covered in grass or hedgerows”.

The photovoltaic panels would have a maximum height of 3.1 metres. It is to be enclosed by a security fence and monitored by CCTV. The council has yet to make a decision on the planning application.