Plans submitted for Isle of Wight solar farm near Yarmouth

The solar farm would be installed on existing farmland

Plans for a solar farm that could generate enough energy to power nearly 10,000 homes on the Isle of Wight have been submitted.

Low Carbon UK has put forward plans for the 39-hectare Barnfield Solar Farm on Wilmingham Lane, near Yarmouth.

The operator said the land would also be used for sheep grazing, grassland or meadow planting over its 40-year operation.

Objections have been raised over traffic access and noise.

The site is alongside the existing Wilmingham Solar Farm and is currently used for agricultural purposes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It is thought the site could generate approximately 30 megawatts a year, enough to power 9,968 homes.

Along with solar panels, CCTV cameras, perimeter fences, inverters and transformers would be installed at the solar farm.

Low Carbon UK said the application had sought to minimise the environmental impact by preserving trees and hedgerows, as well as planting more to cut down glint and glare.

It also said it would install boxes for bats, birds and dormice as well as log piles and bee hives.

If it is approved, the solar farm could be built in 18 weeks.

Among the comments supporting the application the National Trust said any adverse visual impact is outweighed by the mitigation measures.

Island Roads objected over a concern about vehicle access during construction, while a nearby resident said hum noise from the site would be "intolerable".

Another solar farm, Sunny Oaks Renewable Energy Park near Ryde, which could power 5,150 homes a year, is also in the planning process.