Solar farm set to be built across six fields near Earl Shilton

A new solar farm will generate enough electricity to power 8,000 homes per year, its developers have said.

About 47,000 panels will be placed across six fields at Hill Farm near Earl Shilton and Thurlaston after Blaby District Council approved the plans.

Hill Farm Solar Ltd has sought permission to keep the project running for 40 years from the date the first electricity produced leaves the site

 The panels would cover a stretch of 89 acres (36 hectares) and would generate enough electricity to power 8,000 homes a year.

Senior planning officer Helen Wallis added that, though there would be some harm in terms of the visual impact of the site, these would be “outweighed by the significant environmental benefits”. Other benefits of the scheme are the jobs created through the construction phase and a boost to the local economy through construction spending. The wildflower planting and new trees and hedges will also improve the quality of the soil, documents show.

The complex will take 28 weeks to build and the developer said construction traffic would stick to main roads and not use narrow countryside lanes.