FENLAND’s renewable energy drive could be boosted by plans to build the area’s first solar farm.

The proposed 23-acre site, on land off Reach Drove, at Black Bush Farm, Whittlesey, is designed to deliver 2.7MW of power, which could power around 5,000 homes.

The proposals have been put forward by Lark Energy, a subsidiary of Larkfleet Homes, the Lincs-based company hoping to build 460 homes on the outskirts of Whittlesey.

Lark Energy – which sponsored the country’s first ever solar energy conference last year- has outlined its proposals to Fenland District Council.

The company says the site has no overlooking homes and a 16-week construction period is unlikely to create much noise, dust or traffic.

The company also says it is not envisaged that the farm, consisting of rows of 2m high non-reflective panels, would have any effect on air quality, noise, water or waste disposal. Once installed the solar panels would operate silently.

The site comprises of farm land and buildings, 780m to the south-west of Whittlesey.

The solar farm, if built, is expected to be in place for a period of between 25-35 years and could be designed in a similar style to the world’s biggest solar farm in Moura, Portugal.

Fenland is already home to 35 wind turbines and Fenmarc, in March, is developing an anaerobic digestion plan to use waste vegetables to create energy.

Lark Energy recently oversaw the installation of 42 PV panels that will provide 10 kWp (kilowatt peak) of energy for Larkfleet Group’s head offices in Bourne, reducing energy use from the grid and therefore reducing the cost of energy.