A SOLAR farm the size of 47 football pitches has been earmarked for land south of Colchester.

BE Renewables has identified 80 acres of land at South Green, Fingringhoe.

The scheme, called Holmwood Solar Farm, is for 64,000 panels and would generate enough power for about 3,600 homes.

It joins a growing list of solar farms under consideration or being built in Colchester, Tendring and Braintree, James Ayres, business development manager at Liverpoolbased BE Renewables, said: “The site, reclaimed quarry land, is great.

“We are going though consultation at the moment.”

Mr Ayres said the solar panels would be on poles no higher than 2m and the visual impact would be minimal.

He urged residents to attend a public consultation at the village hall in Chapel Road, Fingringhoe, on Wednesday, between 4pm and 7pm to see the plans and have their say.

Terry Sutton, borough councillor for the Pyefleet ward, said there is mixed support for solar farms. He said: “I have spoken to various villagers and some are in favour and some think it will be a disaster.

“I would like to see the exhibition before I make a decision.

“They are being fair to us by showing the exhibition and we should be fair to them to give them a chance to show it.”

The project would be BE Renewables’ first solar farm in Essex, although it has others in the pipeline including a planning application in Cornwall.

Colchester Council has the final say on the Fingringhoe application.