PLANS to build a solar farm which would generate enough power for more than 500 homes were rejected by the parish council at a meeting last week.

The farm is planned on land at the back of Higher Knapp Farm and would see 6,270 panels installed across 4.7 hectares.

Parish council chairman Tina Stodgell said they are not against the idea of ‘green energy’, but said it was the wrong location.

She said: “Most people were sympathetic to the application, but the problem is that there are too many south-facing panels, so it’s too visible to too many people.

“The majority were not in favour as we don’t see too much of an advantage to the parish.”

Lightsource Renewable Energy are hoping to acquire the site, which they say will generate enough power to run 531 homes.

Chief executive Nick Boyle said: “Renewable energy sources and schemes such as this need to become part of our domestic power output if we’re to achieve the Government’s target by 2020.”

The parish council recommended refusal and asked Taunton Deane Council to take it to a full committee decision.