A TOTAL of 143 acres of farmland in North East Somerset could soon be used as a solar farm.

A planning application has been submitted to Bath and North East Somerset Council to create a 50 megawatt solar farm in between Bishop Sutton and Temple Cloud.

Regener8 Power Ltd want to install ground-mounted solar panels on fields south west of The Street and Stowey Lane, west of the Nanny Hun’s Lane byway.

The applicant had originally planned in 2022 to install solar panels while still using the field in between them as arable, but it was found to be “not practical or economic.” Instead, the field will be planted with species rich grassland and herbal lays, which is compatible with sheep grazing.

A statement submitted with the application said: “This treatment would also have the benefit of providing a 111.11 per cent biodiversity net gain whilst allowing the soil to rest and return to its previous quality to be used again in future for arable farming. Further studies found that the quality of the soil has deteriorated significantly following years of arable farming.”

The statement said: “The proposed development would directly respond to the urgent need to deliver a large amount of renewable generation capacity quickly. The proposed development will be in place for 55 years, therefore offering decarbonisation for years to come.”