200-acre solar farm could power 15k homes

RAISED PANELS WOULD HAVE SHEEP GRAZING UNDERNEATH

PLANS have been drawn up for a solar farm which could generate enough electricity to power thousands of homes.

Nearly 200 acres of farmland has been earmarked for photovoltaic panels to create energy from sunlight over 40 years.

Green Farm Solar Ltd has applied to Melton Borough Council for planning permission for the complex over eight fields near Barkestone-le-Vale.

The firm said the project would generate nearly 50 megawatts of electricity – enough to serve 15,000 homes and save the emission of 21,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

A company spokesman said: “The site is relatively flat and is not constrained by environmental designations.

“The scheme will not therefore cause any unacceptable visual harm. Due to the position and configuration of the settlement, it is unlikely many properties would actually have any views across the landscape.

“It is also poorer-quality farmland. Due to the amount of land needed, the scheme cannot fit in an urban area and requires a countryside location.

“There are also no immediately neighbouring residential properties and the site is generally well screened.

“The scheme will be delivered without any support from government subsidy and, as such, the scale of the site is required to accommodate the quantum of solar arrays to ensure a financially viable proposal.”

It is intended to keep the land in use for farming by raising the panels to nearly three metres, allowing sheep to graze below and between them.

Villagers have raised some concerns about the impact of construction traffic on the nearby roads when the solar park is being built.

The company spokesman said: “We have been working to identify the construction route with the least impact on communities.

“With any route, we can be flexible in terms of the time of traffic movements to avoid busier periods and to avoid unsociable hours, to minimise impacts.”

Council planning officers are considering the scheme.