Solar panels plan proposed for moorland wind farm near Cliviger

The firm wants to put the panels on land adjacent to its wind turbines

An energy firm has applied for permission to add solar panels capable of producing electricity for 2,500 homes to its moorland wind farm.

Scottish Power Renewables wants to add panels to Coal Clough Windfarm on The Long Causeway near Cliviger.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the plans would go before Burnley Council on Thursday.

It said the scheme would see the firm pay towards alternative habitat for any upland birds it disturbs.

The proposed site is located on upland north of Holme Chapel and Cornholme and south east of Burnley and is within the perimeters of the existing wind farm.

It is surrounded by agricultural land and moorland.

Planning officials said the 62-acre site, which was "very poor agricultural land", was currently part of a working farm and the land was grazed by sheep and cattle.

"The site was first developed in 1992 as a wind farm with 24 turbines and was later re-powered into an eight turbine wind farm constructed in 2015," they said.

They added that due to advances in solar equipment, it was still expected to produce the same amount of energy and would offset the annual electricity usage of approximately 2,500 homes in Burnley.

The proposals go before the council's planning committee on Thursday.