A food producer, famous for its breed of duck, has put forward plans to create a 17-acre solar farm.
Gressingham Foods in Hinderclay Road, Redgrave, and Centrica Business Solutions want to construct solar panels on four of the site’s buildings and use more than 15.5 acres of land south of its factory.
The business, which makes around £100 million a year, proposes the project will generate 3.53mw of power – enough to power around 3,500 homes – and have a lifespan of 25 years.
In the planning statement to Mid Suffolk District Council, it said: “The applicant is determined to reduce its operational dependence on non-renewable energy sources and its contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.
“Through development of a solar array adjacent to Gressingham Foods, the applicant hopes to further the company’s commitment to decarbonising their supply chain network and operational performance.”
The construction of the panels on the site buildings and in the adjacent field, if approved, would take around six months.
The company has started consultations on the plans, with one Redgrave resident saying: “Gressingham are guilty of creating disturbing noise over recent years and have been described as a 'noise source' by the Environment Agency.
“My fear is that installing solar panels will add to the noise issue through reflection as opposed to absorption of noise by the existing arable land.”
The company has also held an extraordinary meeting with Redgrave Parish Council to discuss the proposals, with a public presentation held at All Saints Church in the village on March 21.
The planning statement continued: “The key feedback from the meeting related to concerns over potential noise disturbance, the type of landscape planting proposed and traffic management arrangements.
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