The issue of compensation was raised during an event intended to shed light on a solar farm project.

Wednesday’s online “webinar” was the first of five consultation events hosted by the people behind the Mallard Pass Solar Farm, a proposal to install hundreds of solar panels in an area the size of 1,400 football fields. west of Stamford.

More than a dozen people asked questions to a panel from Mallard Pass, a joint venture between the companies Windel Energy and Canadian Solar. No longer listened to.

Michelle Nebel asked if the solar farm would bring benefits or compensation to people living near the site, in Ryhall, Essendine, Carlby and Braceborough.

Sarah Price, a representative for Mallard Pass, said, “We are at an early stage. In terms of construction, plans are in place to mitigate the negative effects that are guaranteed by the development authorization ordinance. These include a construction traffic management plan, limited hours of operation during construction, and methods to reduce noise.

The construction of the solar farm would take between 18 months and two years.

Ms Price said that offsetting through reduced energy prices would not necessarily be viable because the solar farm would feed directly into the national grid. But she said the purpose of the consultation was for people to come up with whatever they wanted so that ideas could be taken into account.

Residents also wanted to know where the solar panels would be made, their size, how far they would be located from paths and properties, and the effect of infrastructure on housing prices.

Ms Price said the panels, which have a lifespan of 40 years, could be made in China but that has yet to be decided. They will be located 5 m or more from homes and rights-of-way.

Ms Price downplayed the effect they might have on house prices, adding that it would not be taken into account by the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which will determine the proposal.

Typical solar panels are 3m high with a 25 degree tilt. They can be bred in areas prone to heavy flooding. Residents were told that the solar farm would not increase the risk of flooding.

The “first stage” consultation runs for six weeks until December 16.

People can attend exhibition events in the coming week as follows:

• Ryhall Village Hall, Tuesday (November 23), 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Stamford Town Hall, Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Essendine village hall, Thursday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There will be a second online “webinar” on December 2 from 6 to 8 pm.

To register for one of these events Click here.

Residents react to solar farm projects