Solar Farm Henham August 22, 2012 Pic shows: Solar panels that will be installed at the Henham farm (assuming the project is given the go ahead).

A SOLAR farm will be built to the north of St Ives.

Kettering-based Street Energy Limited has been given planning permission by Huntingdonshire District Council to build a 6.75MWp solar farm on land at Wiggin Hill Farm in Old Ramsey Road.

The 11.29-hectare site on agricultural land in St Ives will include 28,704 panels – enough to power 1,800 homes – in 62 rows, as well as three transformer houses and two metering/switch houses. The site will be surrounded by 2.2m fencing.

Street Energy has said the proposals will be “integrated into the landscape with minimal detriment to its existing character” and the farm will not be visible from public roads in Woodhurst, which is a mile north of the site, but will be partly visible from a nearby footpath and bridleway.

The plans include the planting of trees and hedgerows, and the area will be grazed with sheep.

The firm expects construction to last 14 weeks.

It is the district’s second solar farm to get approval – the first was for an application by Prosolia UK Limited for 23,000-panel solar farm at Bicton.