PLANS for a solar park in Dengie have been approved by Maldon District Council.

Solar developer BSR Energy resubmitted proposals for land south of Keelings Road.

A previous application had been refused.

The updated proposals went before planning bosses in a meeting held on March 12.

After a long discussion, the committee members voted to approve the plans in a near unanimous verdict.

Dale Greetham of ADAS Planning, BSR Energy’s planning consultant, said the plans “represent an exciting project which will produce a significant amount of renewable energy”.

He said: “This is a temporary installation with an estimated lifespan of 40 years.

“Following decommissioning, the land can be quickly restored to its original state."

Mr Greetham said when the original application was refused, the only outstanding matters related to flood risk, landscape and ecology.

However, he added these points had been “comprehensively addressed” in the meantime.

He said: “The committee report notes that the notable benefits outweigh any harm and recommends that planning permission is approved subject to conditions.

“In the words of the council, the proposal would deliver a renewable energy project which would have significant environmental benefits, as it would help to limit climate change and would therefore directly respond to the declared climate emergency in Maldon”.

In the planning meeting, councillor Matthew Neall voted against approving the proposals.

Mr Neall said while he “likes solar farms” and thinks more need to be built, he added they need to be built “in the right place”.

He said: “This is not directly near any houses, but my main issue is really the transport.”

Mr Neall added: “It’s a very small, small road.

“Depending on how they’re coming in to deliver the site, that would be a bit of a concern to me”.