An application to build a 50-acre solar farm has been submitted to a council.
Solstice Renewables has submitted a formal planning application to North Herts District Council to turn Swangley’s Farm in Knebworth into an 8.5 megawatt solar farm – enough to power 2,500 homes.
The company plans to build on a third of the site, with the land around the solar panels still being used for agriculture and wildlife growth.
A community benefit fund will also be established, which is likely to amount to £8,500 per year.
Giovanni Maruca, director of Solstice Renewables, said: “The site is lower-grade land which has been farmed intensively, so our improvements to biodiversity will make a big difference, particularly to pollinators like bees and butterflies which are in decline in the English countryside.”
To view and comment on the plans visit www.north-herts.co.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here