Plans drawn up for solar farm near Selby

Quintas Cleantech wants to build a 30MW solar farm and battery energy storage system near Barlby

Initial plans for a large solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) near Selby have been submitted.

The development, by renewable energy company Quintas Cleantech, would be on 55 hectares (135 acres) of farmland either side of the A163 Market Weighton Road at Barlby.

The company wants to build a 30MW solar farm along with a BESS capable of storing up to 10KW of electricity.

Agents for the applicants said the development would have an operational lifespan of 40 years after which the site would be returned to agricultural use.

The solar farm would be built on farmland off the A163 Market Weighton Road near Barlby

In a screening opinion request submitted to North Yorkshire Council, Quintas Cleantech said a significant amount of renewable energy would be generated by the scheme which would also have "major benefits" for local biodiversity.

"Any potential visual impacts will be mitigated through a comprehensive scheme of landscaping," agents said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, several solar farm developments have already been drawn up for the Selby area, including the Helios scheme which would see a 190MW farm built on land near the village of Camblesforth.

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This article previously incorrectly stated that the proposed solar farm would require development consent from the Planning Inspectorate rather than from the local planning authority.