A SOLAR farm proposed for Chippenham would provide clean, renewable energy for about 2,750 homes in the area, say its developers.

They say it could help power the 3,700 homes that Wiltshire Council’s Core Strategy dictates need building in Chippenham by 2028.

The 10MW solar farm is planned for about 60 acres of land on Chiverlins Farm, west of the A350 near to the Bath Road junction by Sainsbury’s.

It is a project of South Lincolnshire-based Lark Energy, which developed the largest solar farm in the country two years ago, on 150 acres at Wymeswold in Leicestershire, which can power 9,000 homes.

Lark Energy showed off its plans at a public exhibition at Chippenham Rugby Club on Tuesday, where Peter Hutton, Wiltshire Councillor for Chippenham Cepen Park and Derriads, said those attending had mostly asked him about traffic during construction and the impact on wildlife and the land.

Project manager Duncan Blom said it will take around 16 weeks to build and for the first six weeks while panels are delivered there is expected to be four arrivals and four departures of lorries a day, coming off the M4 at J17 and travelling via the A350 and A4.

Mr Blom said the solar farm would connect with the grid by Saltersford Lane and the only road likely to be affected is Easton Lane, though he said they were looking to dig in the verge rather than the road itself.

After looking at the displays Clive Frankham, 51, of Cepen Park North, said: “I’m not that convinced. We’ve got a fair amount already in Wiltshire, at Swindon and Castle Combe. We’ve had all the digging down the road, just constant digging.

“And it’s taking away land that we should be using to feed people.”

Lark Energy land consultant Mike Lee said: “There is a public perception that we are taking good agricultural land, but in fact what we use is not even 0.1 per cent across the UK.”

He said they had been approached by the Candy family who own the land and wanted its suitability for a solar farm assessed.

“A lot of farmers are looking to diversify,” said Mr Lee. “This is grade 3B land and yields are not particularly good compared to the average, though the family will continue to farm their wheat, oats, winter oilseed rape and winter beans.”

Also attending the exhibition was Keith Fletcher, 51, of Drake Crescent, who said: “This will be a good, needed income for the farmer and will give the land a rest.

“In principle I’m in support of solar farms; they’re silent and pretty low to the ground, better than a wind farm visually and in terms of noise.”

Lark Energy said the solar panels, no more than three metres high, would be screened from most directions by indigenous hedgerows, and fenced off for security with infrared CCTV.

They are considering the possibility of a community benefit cooperative, allowing individuals and organisations to own part of the solar farm by investing between £250 and £20,000.

Anyone interested can contact Matthew Desorgher at matthew@nattermatters.com or on (01529) 497771.