Giant Norfolk solar farm to power 16,000 homes given the go-ahead

A countryside solar farm the size of 127 football pitches has been given the go-ahead, in one of the largest green energy projects in the country.

The project, known as the JAFA Solar Farm, will be built on roughly 254 acres of land, west of Palgrave Road and between the villages of Great Dunham and Little Dunham, near Swaffham in Norfolk.

The scheme will generate around 13% of Breckland's energy needs, powering around 16,000 homes.

At 49.9 megawatts, it would be one of the biggest solar schemes in the country.

The project is of a similar scale to Bloy's Grove near Mulbarton, a massive solar farm approved by South Norfolk Council last year.

Meanwhile, a decision is expected later this year on the controversial Sunnica Energy Farm, proposed on the border between West Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

The £600m solar farm would cover nearly 2,800 acres, equivalent to 900 football pitches and more than 10 times bigger than any built in Britain.

Speaking at a Breckland Council planning committee, Brenda Upton, of Great Dunham Parish Council, said it would be "extremely misleading to assume that there is a significant body of opinion in favour" of the JAFA solar farm.

She described the plans as being of an industrial scale on agricultural land which would have a "hugely detrimental impact on the local environment" and take a massive amount of land out of food production.

She also pointed out that other solar farms have been rejected due to their loss of agricultural land, including one at Sedgeford.

But Simon Fowler from Little Dunham Parish Council (LDPC) argued that the energy needs of the country were important while accepting the development would "deface" unspoiled countryside with "urban clutter".

He said: "The imperative of green energy and energy security outweigh that in the unanimous view of LDPC."

But he said the support was dependent on a traffic management plan during construction.

Breckland councillors voted nine to one in favour of the scheme.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...