MP praises ambitious council plan for solar farm

Local MP Tim Farron has warmly welcomed the news that Westmorland and Furness Council have approved the construction of a new solar farm site in Barrow.

Plans to fund and construct a 2MW solar farm site on council-owned land at Sandscale Park in Barrow were approved at a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet.

The solar farm will generate green electricity which will be used to offset the council's carbon emissions.

The site will bring about reductions in carbon for the council and is expected to result in savings of around 607 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per annum.

This is equivalent to planting 700,000 trees and would provide enough electricity to power the council’s five leisure centres or approximately 730 homes per year, based upon average UK households.

Tim said: “This is an absolutely fantastic initiative from our local Lib Dem Council - taking real, tangible action to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.

“At a time when energy costs are going through the roof, it is also a really positive and sensible step for the Council to be generating its own green electricity.”