New 47,000-panel solar farm planned on farmland

The panels would cover 89 acres of farmland, according to the developers

A solar farm could be built on agricultural land in Leicestershire.

The proposal to place 47,000 panels, covering 89 acres (36 hectares), at Hill Farm between Earl Shilton and Thurlaston would generate enough electricity to power 8,000 homes a year, developers said.

Planning officers at Blaby District Council have recommended councillors approve a planning application when they discuss it on 29 June.

Hill Farm Solar Ltd said it wants to generate electricity for 40 years before returning the site, off Earl Shilton Road, to farming use, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A report to the council planning committee said the solar farm, if approved, could create jobs and clean energy.

Officials said there would be "limited elements of harm" to the landscape but they said those were outweighed by the "significant" environmental benefits of the scheme.

The complex would take 28 weeks to build and the developer has said construction traffic would stick to main roads and not use narrow countryside lanes.

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