A major solar farm could be built on farmland south-east of Alton.

Conrad Energy (Developments) Ltd has submitted a pre-application request to East Hampshire District Council.

The company wants early planning advice for a proposed solar panel site near the A31 covering land at Caker Lane in East Worldham and Selborne Road in Selborne.

Conrad Energy Ltd is a full-service independent power producer sending electricity to the National Grid and commercial customers.

It is the UK’s largest flexible power producer, with more than 900 megawatts of generation across 85 plants and an additional 150 megawatts of capacity in construction.

The proposed development spans three separate parcels of farmland totalling approximately 209 acres within existing field boundaries.

The site comprises seven fields - a northern section (fields one and two) centred around the built and operational Wilsom Solar Farm, a central section (fields three and four) for which the nearest postcode is GU34 3AA, and a southern section (fields five, six and seven) centred around Hartley Park Farm Business Centre.

The wider landscape is characterised by scattered farmsteads, blocks of woodland, Alton to the north and Bordon to the east.

The three areas proposed for the solar farm all lie outside the South Downs National Park but would be considered to be within the setting of it.

Six of the seven fields are currently used to grow crops - spring barley, winter barley and winter wheat. The other field is currently grassland.

Ecological surveys are being carried out on the site regarding wintering birds, breeding birds, bats, fairy shrimp, arable margin plants and flowers, great crested newts and arable plants.

If approved, the site would have an export capacity of up to 49.9 megawatts. Plans indicate the three parcels would be linked via underground cabling, with a connection to the electricity grid proposed off Blanket Street in East Worldham.

The proposal includes rows of solar panels, electrical equipment in container units, a new sub-station, underground cabling, internal access tracks, fencing with closed-circuit television security, new planting to support wildlife and landscape improvements.

No battery storage is included in the plans. Subject to further site assessments, a full planning application is expected to be submitted soon.

Details of a public consultation will be published soon, giving local residents the chance to view the plans and share their views.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

More information is available on the South Downs National Park planning portal under reference 26/01388/ADJAUT.