A SOLAR park with more than 35,900 energy absorbing panels in the Vale has been approved by planners.

Wychavon District Council's planning committee gave the go ahead to the plans for the 50-acre site at Rotherdale Farm, Long Lane, Tilesford, near Pinvin, at their meeting last Thursday.

The development by Evesham Vale Growers is adjacent to its £5m solar park with sheep grazing beneath more than 20,000 energy absorbing panels at Rotherdale Farm, Throckmorton, which was approved in January last year.

At the time of approval, it was hoped the solar park would be completed a few months after planning permission was granted but despite work now underway, construction is not yet complete.

Both sites will be 78 acres with a total of 56,530 panels and combined, will produce 14MW of renewable electricity which will be exported to the national grid via underground cabling to a proposed adjacent electricity substation.

Councillor Liz Tucket, ward member, said: " Some people like these things and some people don't. I think it's a very exciting form of electricity generation.

"The sheep are allowed to graze underneath the solar panels so it's still being used productively as well as making electricity. I think it's a very positive thing that happening."

The farm is currently used for arable farming and grain storage and has recently been granted planning permission for a cattle unit and anaerobic digestion facility which is yet to be built.