PLANS for a huge solar farm are due to go before council planners.

The proposed 19 megawatt solar site on land south of Keelings Road, in Dengie, will go before a Maldon District Council planning committee on Tuesday.

The plans were submitted to the council in December.

The proposed site is currently fields and covers more than 30 hectares.

It is visible from the junction of Hall Road and Keelings Road as well as from the grounds of Grade II listed St James' Church.

Planning permission is being sought for the construction of ground mounted solar panels, with a five megawatt battery energy storage system and vehicle access from Keelings Road.

It would also include internal access tracks, landscaping, security fencing, CCTV cameras and grid connection infrastructure.

The solar farm would have a lifespan of 40 years after which the development would be decommissioned, the equipment removed and the site restored to farmland.

If approved, the solar panels would be mounted off frames that would be more than 2m in height.

They would be covered with high transparency solar glass to provide an anti-reflective coating.

Existing agricultural access off Keelings Road would be used during construction.

Plans for the solar park were originally submitted in April 2023, but were refused.

Applicant BSR Energy says it considered the council's feedback and updated the planning application to resubmit it.

Asheldham and Dengie Parish Council has called for the application to be refused.

They requested Maldon District Council "take note of the flood zone in the area with Asheldham Brook Bridge constantly flooding".

Maldon District Council will have the final say on the plans. 

For more information on Dengie Solar Park, visit the project website at britishrenewables.com/projects/dengie-solar-park.

BSR Energy have been approached for comment.