A DEVELOPER has set its sights on land near Cartmel for the construction of a 20,000-panel solar farm.

Omicron Solar Ltd, owned by Spanish company OPDE Group, has lodged a planning application with South Lakeland District Council for the proposed power plant at Lane Head, Beck Side, north of the village.

Currently used as agricultural land, the development would see the construction of photovoltaic panels mounted in fixed horizontal rows.

These panels would have an output of 5 Megawatt peak (MWp).

In the application, the developer states: "The scheme will avoid 2,000 tons of CO2 and power approximately 1,375 homes, approximately one-and-a-half times the number of homes in Allithwaite parish where the development is located."

A number of units including a primary substation, control room and four inverter substations would be built.

There would also be maintenance and access tracks, security fencing, CCTV cameras and a temporary site compound for the duration of the construction period.

"The scheme has been designed to have the lightest possible impact on the land," the application states.

And at the end of a 25 year period, the developer said the structure, including all ancillary equipment and cabling, would be 'carefully dismantled' and removed from the site, with materials being re-used or taken to an 'appropriate location for recycling or disposal'.

The site is around 0.5km to the south and west of the Lake District National Park boundary.

Chris Naylor, chairman of Lower Allithwaite Parish Council, said there had not been a meeting since the application was lodged with SLDC and could not comment.

However, when the council was initially consulted by the applicant Mr Naylor said there were some concerns over aspects of the plan.

Lower Allithwaite parish councillor Mary Wilson said the developer presented the plans at a meeting and apart from 'one or two' people who opposed it, the 'general consensus was in favour'.

It is yet to be formally presented and debated.