Home / Environment / Solar Farm Gets Green Light, Powers 14,000 Homes
Solar Farm Gets Green Light, Powers 14,000 Homes
13 Dec
Summary
- New solar farm will generate enough electricity for over 14,000 homes annually.
- The project is expected to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
- Planning committee approved the 50-megawatt solar installation with conditions.
Councillors have given unanimous approval to a significant 50-megawatt solar farm project, set to energize more than 14,000 homes annually and substantially cut carbon emissions. The facility, operated by Vattenfall, will contribute to environmental goals by saving the equivalent of over 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The project, located south of Preston New Road, will function for four decades before the site is restored for agricultural use. Planning officials recommended approval, concluding that the development's benefits superseded its acknowledged impact on the rural surroundings, though specific conditions were imposed.
Conditions include maintaining screening hedges at a minimum height of 6ft 7in (2m) to mitigate the visual impact. While the development will alter the site's appearance towards a more industrial nature, affecting landscape character, its approval marks a step towards renewable energy generation in the region.
