Rochford solar farm could power more than 16,000 homes

The new solar farm will sit close to the villages of Ashingdon, South Fambridge and Canewdon

Plans for a 100-hectare solar farm which could power more than 16,000 homes have been approved.

Grasslands Solar Farm in Rochford, Essex, will generate an estimated 49.9 megawatts of renewable energy for about 16,581 homes over the next 40 years.

The site is located on agricultural land to the south of the River Crouch.

Rochford District Council planning members approved the plans in a meeting on Thursday.

The meeting heard objections to the plans that it would harm the potential for farming and impact wildlife.

But the solar farm's developers Low Carbon said nearly 6km of hedgerows and 1,500 trees would be planted.

Councillor Daniel Efde said: "It is really great these companies come to Rochford and want to invest in Rochford in these ways to generate electricity to make us less reliant on carbon and foreign country supply."