Construction work is to start on a large-scale solar farm in Cheshire.

The 4.1 megawatt solar farm is being built by the council on land adjacent to the composting plant in Leighton Grange Farm in Crewe.

The development of a solar farm to supply power to Cheshire East's state-of-the-art in vessel composting facility is the next phase in the relationship between Biowise – part of the Urbaser Group – and Cheshire East Council.

The solar farm will not only help to provide renewable energy to power Cheshire East’s composting plant – operated by Biowise – but will also put green energy back into the national grid, helping to offset a significant amount of the council's carbon emissions.

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Councillor Mick Warren, Chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said: "Cheshire East Council is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2025, and that means reducing emissions that the council has direct control over. We will do everything within our powers to achieve this.

"We are delivering a wide range of projects to reduce our carbon emissions, including decarbonising council buildings though initiatives such as low carbon heat pumps, LED lighting, solar panels and improved heating systems."

The solar farm will be installed by Gamma Energy Limited, with work due to start in early autumn and expected to be completed by the end of the year.