A HUGE solar farm could be built in south Essex to help power nearly 10,000 homes on a site the size of 50 football pitches.

Planned for a site at Frelins Farm, in Rectory Lane, near Wickford, the solar farm would provide power to 9,660 homes for up to 40 years if approved.

Solar panels would be mounted onto metal frames but there would still be space for agricultural activity to continue on the site.

Wickford Park councillor David Harrison said: “I really do think this would be a good thing, I know the area well.

“I’m not sure there’s even really anything residential anywhere near it, there’s not many houses nearby.

“And climate change is coming, this is going to be needed. Moving forward it will be about being greener with what we do.

“I also think they are a lot better looking than having wind turbines popping up, you can see them in the air from far away.”

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If plans go ahead, construction work is expected to last around six months and traffic related to the scheme would only be able to access the site during the day.

CCTV would also be installed in 50 metre intervals along a fence that would go around the site.

Graham Smith, 52, from Wickford, said: “As long as there’s not too much disruption, I think it’s a quite remote area and it shouldn’t have too much of an impact.

“I expect you won’t be able to see it from too much of a distance unless you’re on a hillside as well.

“For me, it won’t cause too many issues, but it’s about how they anticipate to roll out these benefits to that many homes.”

A screening request for the proposals has been submitted to Chelmsford Council to see if they meet with environmental standards.

The council will provide a response to the screening opinion, but a formal application will need to be submitted first for full planning permission to be granted.