Solar farm aims to power more than 16,500 homes

The scheme will have a 40-year lifespan

Plans for a new solar farm in West Sussex, which aims to power more than 16,500 family homes have been approved.

The application for more than 45 hectares of land at Cobwood, Burnthouse Lane, Cowfold was approved by Horsham District Council on Tuesday.

The scheme will see panels installed north and south of the A272.

Liberal Democrat councillor Joanne Knowles said: "We have to do something and right now solar is part of the solution."

The scheme will have a 40-year lifespan, and the land returned to agricultural use when the panels are removed.

The panels are expected to generate about 49.9MW of renewable energy – enough to power 16,581 family homes per year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Concerns'

The council received 116 objections, with a number of speakers sharing their concerns with the committee.

Connie Towle, of Cowfold Parish Council, said the parish fully supported renewable energy projects in principle – but they had to be in an appropriate location.

She said it did not sit well with residents that an environmental impact assessment was not needed as the capacity of the scheme fell just below the 50MWs required.

She added: “Our concerns primarily relate to traffic management during the construction phase and the environmental impact during the operational life of the project.”