Proposal to build solar farm on Drakelow Power Station site

Drakelow Power Station closed in 2003 and the remaining cooling towers were demolished in 2006

Early plans to build an 82-acre solar farm on the site of a former Derbyshire power station have been submitted.

Drakelow Power Station closed in 2003 and there have been various plans for the site since then, including building a gas-fired power station.

The latest plan would see much of the site covered in solar panels.

Energy firm E.ON has submitted a screening opinion application ahead of formal plans, with a decision on this expected in the coming months.

A document filed with the plans said: "The site is located in an area that has a strong presence of existing electrical and energy infrastructure and facilities.

"It is not considered that the proposed development would lead to significant environmental effects with regards to its landscape and visual impact, on landscape character or visual and residential amenities."

Much of the site would be covered in solar panels

South Derbyshire District Council is expected to make a decision on this early application in the next few months, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

It is the third large solar farm scheme pitched for the same area of South Derbyshire within the last 12 months.

A formal application by BayWa r.e. UK for a 410-acre solar farm stretching from Walton to Rosliston was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on Thursday.

This site, if approved, would be connected to the Drakelow Power Station site by underground cabling.

A government planning inspector dismissed plans for a 173-acre solar farm stretching between Lullington and Coton in the Elms, which had previously been rejected by the district council, in July last year.

The solar farm would be built on an 82-acre section of the site

Part of the former Drakelow Power Station site is currently being redeveloped as a 2,200-home housing scheme, complete with a school and services.

The LDRS said the site was also now home to the Vital Energi waste-to-energy scheme, where waste is burned to generate electricity.

Planning permission was granted for a 29-acre solar farm connected to the power station site in 2015.

Plans for an energy storage facility from Drakelow Battery Ltd were also approved in July.