A new solar farm could be built on a site at Park Farm, Gillingham to the east of Ham Common and north-west of Shaftesbury.

The 37-hectare site is being explored by the Low Carbon UK Solar Investment Co and could produce 50Megawatts of electricity.

The company has asked Dorset Council to look at the environmental impacts of using the site, one of the stages prior to a full, formal planning application being submitted.

The farmland site lies within the Blackmore Vale Landscape Character Area, Rural Priority Area and the Gillingham Royal Forest Project Area. Woodland directly adjacent to the north of the site and slightly south of the site are designated as Sites of Nature Conservation Interest.

An application letter says the site is currently being used for arable farming with a mixture of grade 3, moderate quality, and grade 4, poor quality, land.

The nearest housing is around 500 metres to the west of the site although there are farm buildings 250 metres away to the north east and south west. The majority of the site is said to be well screened with existing vegetation, including woodland and hedgerows. A bridleway runs along the northern boundary of the site.

The site application details the proposed rows of photovoltaic cells, inverters based within shipping containers, a battery storage facility, substation and switchroom, CCTV camera system and various tracks for access.

Connection to the nation grid would be via Shaftesbury sub station to the east of the site with the cable route expected to follow the road.

If approved the construction phase is expected to last 16 weeks and once established the site is only likely to receive an average of four visits a week for maintenance and security.