Supermarket seeks solar panels approval

Morrisons wants to install solar panels on its Doxford Park store

A supermarket is seeking permission to install more than 850 solar panels on its roof.

Morrisons at Doxford Park has applied for planning permission from Sunderland City Council to add 858 panels.

The company said the scheme would be "no higher" than the existing building and would "generally be acceptable".

The council has said a decision should be made by May once a public consultation has finished.

Morrisons has previously announced ambitions to be the first supermarket to "own and operate its own solar 'farm' across sites and stores", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A statement on the supermarket chain's website, published in 2021, said the solar panel infrastructure would give "increased control over its operations and costs".