THE race is on for Huntingdonshire’s first solar energy farm after plans for were revealed for a site north of St Ives.

Kettering-based Street Energy Limited have submitted plans to Huntingdonshire District Council for a 6.75MWp solar farm on land at Wiggin Hill Farm, weeks after Prosolia UK Limited proposed a 23,000-panel farm at Bicton.

The 11.29 hectare-site on grade 2/3 agricultural land will be home to 28,704 panels - enough to power 1,800 homes - in 62 rows, three transformer houses, two metering/switch houses and surrounded by 2.2metre-high green security 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 the footpath and bridle way close by.

The plans include the planting of new native-species woodland and hedgerows, and the area will be grazed with sheep.

The firm expect construction to last 14 weeks, with between one and two heavy goods vehicles a day using the A14, A1096 and accessing the site using private lane Old Ramsey Road.

Street Energy has also consulted RAF Wyton, as the farm is situated north of the proposal. It said: “Solar photovoltaic panels are designed to absorb rather than reflect light and that panels reflect two per cent of incoming sunlight. Reflected light from the solar panels will therefore be significantly less than glare form direct sunlight.”

Planners at HDC are expected to make a decision on the plans in February.