PLANS have been submitted to Somerset Council to fill two fields near Bridgwater with solar panels.

Cannington Enterprises Ltd has applied for the erection of ground mounted south facing solar panels and associated equipment in two fields with the aim of providing renewable energy to the Cannington Enterprises Manufacturing Plant.

Public consultation opened on Monday, January 22, but is due to close next week on Monday, February 12.

The proposed development site consists of two fields immediately adjacent to the Cannington Enterprises Ltd 'Anaerobic Digestor site' that is part of the overall land holding of Swang Farm.

The north field has an overall area of approximately 2.61 hectares and the south field is of approximately 1.86 hectares in size.

The proposed site lies just 4.3km away from the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The applicant hopes to use the fields to install a total of 4,560 445Wp mono-crystalline solar panels, which will be enclosed by two-metre-high deer fences, designed to stop the ingress of deer, but also allow the option of periodic sheep grazing after the scheduled mid to late summer grass cuts, as well as providing a security barrier to deter intruders.

For more information, or to comment on the application, search planning reference number 45/23/00027 on Somerset Council's online planning portal.

As previously stated, public consultation is due to close next week on Monday, February 12, and approval for the plans could be granted from the following day.