The first plans for a solar farm and battery station in the countryside have been drawn up.

A proposal has been published to develop a solar farm on green belt land near Elstree Aerodrome.

Applicants Elstree Green Limited has not submitted a full application into Hertsmere Borough Council just yet - but it has requested an assessment which looks at any environmental impact the plans may have.

A total of 20 fields have been identified to be the home for the solar farm and battery station.

It includes five fields on land between the A41 and Hilfield Reservoir, and 15 between Aldenham Road and Watling Street, along Butterfly Lane, near Haberdashers Aske’s Boys’ School.

The fields, across 123 hectares of land, are currently used for agriculture.

Hillingdon Times:

A map, highlighted in blue stripes, of where the solar farm is proposed to be, on land near Elstree Aerodrome

If the solar farm is constructed, a report on the council's planning portal states it will provide a “reliable source of urgently needed” low carbon and renewable energy via the National Grid network for both residential and commercial use.

It would be connected via the nearby Elstree Substation, off Hilfield Lane.

Construction would take around seven months.

The solar farm would be in place for up to 35 years before the land is returned to agricultural use.

Elstree Green Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Enso Green Holdings Ltd, a partnership between Enso Energy and Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG).

Ian Harding, director at Enso Energy, said: "Our ambition is to use the latest solar technology to make a positive impact on the country and communities we work with.

"This application follows the climate emergency declared by Hertsmere Borough Council and the local and national climate change targets that are enshrined in law.

"We estimate that the Hilfield Solar Farm will increase the total amount of renewable electricity generated in Hertsmere from 5.4 per cent to 20 per cent, bringing Hertsmere closer to the national average of 33 per cent electricity generated from renewable sources."

An online public consultation will be announced in the coming weeks allowing members of the community to learn more about the plans and have a say.

The application can be found here and the report can be found here.