Plans for major new solar farm near village

An energy company has announced plans to create a solar farm near a village in Nottinghamshire.

Uniper said the development would be on farmland to the east of Sutton Bonington, between Hungary Lane and Melton Lane.

It would see about 30 hectares (74 acres) of the 72.9-hectare (180-acre) site covered by solar panels, generating enough renewable electricity to power about 15,000 homes per year, added Uniper.

A public consultation is now taking place until 13 April, ahead of Uniper submitting a planning application to Rushcliffe Borough Council later this year.

Uniper said the solar panels would be hidden from most viewpoints by existing field boundaries.

It is proposed that construction vehicles would access the site via Trowell Lane, to avoid this traffic travelling through the village.

The solar farm would have an operational lifespan of approximately 40 years, after which point it would be fully decommissioned and the land reinstated according to planning requirements, said the company.

If planning permission is granted, and once the solar farm is operational, there will be a fund for the community to benefit from.

Two consultation events on the scheme will be held at Sutton Bonington Village Hall this month.

They will take place on Wednesday 18 March between 16:00 and 19:30 GMT and on Wednesday 8 April from 15:00 to 19:30 BST.

Virtual consultation sessions will also take place on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March and can be booked on the Uniper website.

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