THREE sets of plans have been unveiled to create more than 150 hectares of solar farmland in North Yorkshire.

Proposals for 40 hectare, 87 hectare and 18 hectare sites – together capable of producing more than 80 Mega Watts which would serve around 22,000 households within Hambleton district – have shown the continued drive towards solar power in the region in recent years.

Hambleton District Council today (Thursday) deferred one application for a 40 ha solar farm at White House Farm in Great Smeaton, near Northallerton – but a giant solar farm complex over 87 ha of land at Boscar Grange Farm in Raskelf, near Thirsk, has been approved along with a smaller 18 ha site in Sandhutton, near Thirsk.

A recent government poll found solar farms to be the most popular inland renewable energy option, while the UK solar photovoltaic industry saw a record number of panels installed over the first three months of 2014, much of which has been in southern England.

But technology improvements have meant more of the sun’s rays can be captured further north, and lower land rents, the availability of grid connections and scarcity of suitable sites have led developers to look at sites in North Yorkshire and the North East.

Electricity distributor Northern Powergrid says the longer daylight hours in the summer at sites in north England could serve a major role in large-scale solar schemes being developed in the region.

The applications in Hambleton come ahead of more still to be heard by the authority’s planning committee, with sites at Ainderby Steelple, near Northallerton, and Husthwaite, near Thirsk in the pipeline.

Late last year another Ainderby Steeple solar farm 18,000 panels was granted permission as well as one at Sessay, near Thirsk, with 20,000 panels.

Julian Orchard, agent for the Great Smeaton and Raskelf farms with Big60Million Ltd, said: “There are many benefits to the solar farms. Big60Million is a community-benefit energy company created to share the benefits of UK solar farms with as many people as possible.

“We are supporting schools to be greener, planting wild flower meadows with bird and bat boxes, and encouraging more insects and wildlife, and financially we give people the opportunity to invest in Solar Bonds for our projects.”

The use of solar energy allows farmers to diversify and support other parts of their business.

Andrew Leggett, landowner at White House Farm, Great Smeaton, said as a passionate dairy farmer he was excited to see how the solar panels could improve his business.

He said: “Job security and moral among staff is low; I’ve had to make cuts and it has a knock-on effect in the community.”