PLANS for a huge solar farm between Washford and Watchet have been announced this week.

Energy company Elgin Energy has written to residents inviting them to a public exhibition being held at The Washford Memorial Hall where more detailed plans will be shown.

However, the Gazette understands that Elgin Energy is hoping to build a large 25MW solar farm across a series of fields located to the North West of Tropiquaria and the Washford Transmitting Station.

The site will cover approximately 53 hectares.

A spokesman for Elgin Energy said: “The proposal will contribute to local, regional and national energy generation targets in a clean and resourceful manner and has the capacity to generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 7,500 homes annually.”

The public exhibition event will take place on Thursday, May 10, between 4pm and 8pm where a full exhibition of the proposals will be on display and members of the project team will be on hand to discuss the development and answer questions.

Elgin Energy say ‘this represents an opportunity for all parties to actively engage, comment and shape the evolution of this project’.

The company says this initial consultation event is being held prior to a planning application being submitted, however, on Elgin Energy’s own website, it boasts: “Established in 2009, Elgin Energy has extensive experience in delivering projects from initial landowner engagement to project completion, with a 98 per cent success rate in attaining planning permission.”

As of 2018, Elgin Energy has successfully deployed 230MW of solar energy across projects in the UK, providing the equivalent of 75,000 homes with clean energy annually.