A SIGNIFICANT solar farm could be installed on green land on the outskirts of a Warrington village.

Plans have been submitted to Warrington Borough Council’s planning department for the site on land at Wildersmoor Hall Farm, on Higher Lane in Lymm.

Proposed is a 2.5MW solar farm, including PV panels mounted on metal frames, new access tracks, and underground cabling.

The application also seeks perimeter fencing with CCTV cameras and access gates, a temporary construction compound and all ancillary grid infrastructure and associated works.

It has been submitted by applicant Lymm Community Energy Ltd, which has a ‘vision to make a long-term difference to the sustainability of Lymm and surrounding areas’.

This is through ‘financing and installing renewable and low-carbon energy technologies, particularly for community organisations’.

A statement on the Lymm Community Energy website states: “Our original plan was to develop and build a 5MW solar farm on land owned by Wildersmoor Hall Farm in Lymm.

“During a more detailed appraisal of the project, the size of the solar farm was scaled back to 2.5MW due to reverse power constraints at the local substation and restrictions in the network operated by Scottish Power Energy Networks.

“An option and lease for the site has now been agreed with the landowner and signed by both parties.

“Recognising that the solar farm would encroach on the green belt, we have engaged planning consultancy Neo Environmental to carry out a wide range of surveys of the site, covering aspects such as landscape and visual impact, ecology and biodiversity, heritage, flood risk, noise impact, glint and glare and construction and transport management.

“This has culminated in the submission of our planning application to Warrington Borough Council.

“Following our community consultation programme in the summer of 2021, we will be undertaking a further round of community consultation in the near future based on the smaller scale project.”