Plans for a the new solar site in Seaham were approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee. Developer Enviromena will build the facility on land west of Admiralty Way, Seaham, powering up to 3,169 homes per year.
The scheme was praised by councillors for its impact on the environment and benefits to residents.
Kevin Shaw, county councillor for Dawdon, said: “I think it’s a development that’s in the right place. This area lends itself to this type of development.”
Environmena said it worked closely with local businesses and authorities to develop the planning application.
“There is an urgent need for renewable projects in the UK,” said Lee Adams, chief commercial officer.
“The Foxcover solar scheme, whilst modest in scale, will make a notable contribution to the target and power approximately 3,100 homes and save over 1,700 tonnes of carbon. We have worked proactively to minimise the few impacts identified.”
The equipment will be removed and the land will be reinstated after 40 years.
Construction of the site is planned to last for 16 weeks. Construction vehicles will access the site from the A19 via the A182, with no vehicles travelling through Seaham or Dawdon.
Cllr Shaw added: “This development is within 100 yards of where the former Dawdon Colliery was. We had a 100 years of extracting coal, which had a huge impact on the environment. I would rather see this development come forward than think back to where we previously were.
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It was a horrendous environment to grow up in as a kid, and you think what the benefits of these are and the impact on the environment it’s negligible.”
Councillors voiced concerns over the appearance of the solar farm, but the overall benefits were favoured.
Cllr Doug Oliver said: “The combination of metal and glass on open green space is overwhelmingly not well received and that has an impact. I have some slight visual concern about it but that is overwhelmed by the carbon emergency and the need for green energy.”
Construction work on the site is due to start later this year.