Solar farm near town 'would power 24,000 homes'

Plans have been unveiled for a solar farm that could provide enough power for nearly 24,000 homes.

The Molescroft Solar Farm would be built on land to the north east of Hull Bridge Road in Beverley, East Yorkshire.

Developer Enray Power said the site would help to fund "essential local services and infrastructure" by contributing about £2.5m in business rates to the local authority over its lifespan.

Views are being sought on the proposals, which suggest the site would extend as far west as the Hull-Scarborough railway line.

The developer said the 40MW solar farm would operate for 40 years, after which time the land would be restored to its original condition.

Existing hedgerows and trees would be retained to provide natural screening, with others planted to support wildlife.

People can see the plans and share their views at a drop-in event at Beverley RUFC, Beaver Park, between 15:00 BST and 19:00 on Thursday, or via an online survey

Formal plans are expected to be submitted to East Riding of Yorkshire Council in the autumn, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service,

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices