Plans for Clarence Valley Solar Farm lodged by Pelican Solar Farm and Infinergy Australia

Ambitious plans to build a mega solar panel farm near Grafton, costing more than $30 million, have been tabled. Get your first look here.

This land near Grafton could soon be home to a massive solar panel farm.

An ambitious plan to build a massive solar panel farm in the Clarence Valley has been revealed.

‘The Clarence Valley Solar Farm’ proposal, valued at more than $30 million, is slated for a 340-hectare site approximately 13km north east of Grafton.

Pelican Solar Farm and Infinergy Australia have lodged the proposal with the state government to build the farm in Lower Southgate, west of the Clarence River.

The proposal is for the construction of hundreds of ground-mounted solar panels, estimated to be able to generate 85 megawatts, with the energy also able to be stored in batteries.

According to planning documents, 49 homes are within 2000 metres of the proposed farm, generally located along Boormans Ln, Reservoir Rd, Lawrence Rd and Big River Way.

Generic image of a solar panel farm in Australia. Picture: Marie Nirme

This plot of land in Lower Southgate could soon be home to the Clarence Valley’s largest solar panel farm.

“(The proposed site) is currently used for agriculture, including farming and grazing operations … adjacent land uses include agriculture, rural residential, forestry and National Parks estate land,” planning documents state.

The developer’s plans list climate change as a major reason behind this ambitious proposal.

Map showing the proposed location of the farm (outlined in blue and red).

“Increased adoption of renewable energy sources will assist Australia to transition away from traditional carbon intensive energy production which is linked to atmospheric pollution and carbon emissions associated with climate change,” the developer states.

“Reduced carbon emissions have the potential to halt or slow the effects of climate change, benefiting current and future generations.”

However, the proposal does not come without some negative impacts.

According to planning documents, keys issues the local community has raised in relation to the solar panel farm include its impact on prime agricultural land, flood risk and the visual impact it could have on nearby properties.

A search carried out also identified 22 threatened species, including koalas, which may be present within a five kilometre radius of the proposed development.

In the coming months, the project will be considered for approval by the NSW government.