Plans for a £5 million solar farm on the outskirts of Carlisle have officially been submitted to the city council. 

Energy firm Lightsource Renewable Energy Ltd has plans for a solar farm at Heathlands Farm on a site between the railway and M6, near Kingmoor Park industrial estate. 

The 30 acre site could potentially host around 1,200 solar panels, which would power an estimated 1,300 homes and save 2,300 tonnes of carbon emissions every year – the equivalent of taking 505 cars off the road. 

The fact that the location is out of sight is one of the reasons Lightsource earmarked it for development. 

Brendan Clarke, senior planner with Lightsource, said: “The whole reason we chose this site is because it’s very well-screened.

"It’s quite well-defined in terms of field margins, there’s quite strong trees and it’s pretty much dead flat which means that any sort of residual visibility is easy to screen.” 

The application is for permission to install and run a solar farm and all its associated infrastructure, including solar panels, mounting frames, inverters, transformers, pole-mounted CCTV cameras, substations, a composting toilet and a deer fence.

In its information document, Lightsource reveals that it is looking to use local suppliers, contractors and accommodation providers.

The company held a consultation event last month (AUG) at the Rockcliffe Centre for residents to see their plans.

A number of residents turned out to see the plans. Views were largely positive, although there were fears that while this proposal might be discreet, others in the future may not be. 

Conor McGuigan, planning and development director at Lightsource, said: “It is in everyone’s interests to work towards reducing the UK’s reliance on importing expensive fossil fuels. 

"Solar energy generation presents a viable source of homegrown, renewable energy and opens up opportunities for championing local businesses, skills and interests.” 

At the moment the site is used to grow cereals, but sheep would continue to graze underneath the solar panels. 

The Heathlands Farm proposal is one of a number in the pipeline for north Cumbria. The Cumberland News revealed last month that councils have been inundated with applications for solar parks.

Combined, the raft of recent proposals – in excess of 14 – could cost more than £62m to construct.

If the proposals are waved through by planners, they could generate power for tens of thousands of homes in the county.

The Lightsource plan for Heathlands Farm will be discussed by planners at a date yet to be set.