Broadland District Council (BDC) granted permission to developers Albanwise Limited for the 200-acre solar farm and battery storage in Pettywell, near Reepham.

After a meeting which lasted almost two hours, members of the council's planning committee voted by four votes to three to grant a temporary 40-year permission for the scheme, off Nowhere Lane.

The site where the solar farm will be built (Image: Jackson Planning)

Officers at BDC had recommended approval, despite receiving more than 80 objections from individuals and organisations concerned about issues such as the scale of the development, increased traffic, the loss of agricultural land and safety concerns over lithium-ion batteries.

Conservative councillor Jo Copplestone, who represents Coltishall, had proposed that the solar farm be turned down.

She said: "I have some very grave concerns about this site.........

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