A new solar farm in Huntingdonshire could power thousands of homes for 40 years if plans are approved.

The 50-megawatt solar farm is proposed to be built on fields by Hail Weston, near St Neots.

NextPower, which has submitted the planning application to Huntingdonshire District Council and Bedford Borough Council, hopes the plans make a “valuable contribution” to tackling climate change.

The site crosses both boundaries of the two authorities.

The new solar farm is proposed to be built over 103.7 hectares, on land around an existing solar farm to the west of Hail Weston.

In planning documents submitted as part of the application, it said: “The proposed solar farm will generate enough renewable energy each year – for 40 years – to power approximately 15,000 homes in the local area.

“This will make a valuable contribution to local and national efforts to tackle climate change, fully decarbonise the grid by 2035, reach net zero by 2050, and provide safe, secure and affordable energy in line with recently published British energy security strategy.”

The proposals also state that there will be “substantial biodiversity enhancements”, with a 68 per cent biodiversity net gain uplift over the 40-year lifetime of the proposed solar farm.

In the planning documents it also said that the applicant had put in place a ‘community benefit fund’, explaining that the company will continue talking with the parish councils in the area on how the money can be used.

The plans also said that the impact of the proposed development on agricultural land and food supply would be “minimal”.

It said: “The proposals support the diversification of farming practices and the land will remain in agricultural use in the long-term alongside the solar farm.

“At such, it is considered the temporary and reversible nature of the scheme, located on predominantly poorer quality land, is acceptable.”

It said that agriculture will continue in and around the solar farm and that there are substantial biodiversity enhancements.

“The site is within flood zone one.

“There will be no noteworthy impact on heritage assets and there is no evidence to suggest that well sited solar farms result in noteworthy adverse impacts of tourism.

“Overall, it is considered that the minimal impacts of the proposed solar farm are outweighed by substantial benefits of the proposals.”

What do you think? Email debbie.davies@archant.co.uk.