Proposals for a solar farm planned to be built partly in the West Suffolk region and Cambridgeshire will be discussed by local authorities after concerns over the environmental impact of the project.

The project, named Sunnica Energy Farm is a scheme for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and on-site battery energy storage systems across four sites within Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

Concerns relate to the likely environmental impacts, the assessment of these impacts and the lack of mitigation measures in topic areas, including landscape and visual amenity, ecology and nature conservation.

This week, West Suffolk Council will hold a meeting to discuss the proposal for the solar farm.

Councillor Richard Rout, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Environment at Suffolk County Council, said: “Suffolk County Council is totally committed to renewable energy and it plays a key role in our climate change pledge.

“However, this commitment cannot come at any cost. Each project must be reasoned and considered. We will always examine the scale of the project and the impact it may have on those who live nearby.

“Unfortunately, we cannot support this solar farm because the size of the development hasn’t been justified and the fact that the planning application is seriously flawed. Amongst many things, it fails to assess the full range of harm to the landscape and surrounding area.

“If consented, Sunnica will permanently change the character of a unique part of Suffolk which has been shaped by agriculture and horse racing.”

ELN has approached the developer of the project, Sunnica for a response.