THE construction of the Bridgwater tidal barrier will not prevent a publicly owned solar farm from seeing the light of day, Somerset Council has pledged.

Contractors are currently building the access road to the site of the barrier on the River Parrett, which is due to cost £128million and be operational by early-2027, writes our Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Mumby.

Concerns were raised that the road and wider construction programme would halt the council’s ambitions to build a solar farm on a former landfill site on the riverbank.

But Somerset Council has now confirmed the £3million project, which won planning permission last November, will still go ahead.

The former Somerset County Council announced its intentions to build a solar farm north of Saltlands Avenue in February 2021, committing just over £3million in its capital programme.

The proposed farm will be sited across three fields north of the Saltlands Community Wood, with access via the Wessex Water processing facility.

The site, used as a landfill for inert waste until it was capped in 1989, is currently used for grazing livestock.

The council estimates the solar farm could generate more than 3.6million kilowatt hours of clean energy per year, saving more than 800 tonnes of carbon annually.

The access road to the barrier will lead off the existing Saltlands Avenue, with work currently underway near the town’s household waste recycling centre and the council’s school transport depot.

Once the barrier is complete, the access road will provide a cycle route, linking up with the River Parrett Trail and the wider cycle network across Bridgwater.

Somerset Council included £3,107,000 for the solar farm in its first budget.

A spokesman said: “The submitted plans for the solar park make allowance for the access track to the barrier which is currently being delivered.

“This access track will also form part of an extended cycle network in the area following the completion of the barrier.

“There would not appear to be any reason why the solar park would need to be delayed until the barrier is completed, as it does not impact directly on that project. The barrier access route is, as shown on the submitted plans, outside of the actual solar farm areas.

“Our officers have flagged up the need to consider landscape and ecological impacts of the solar farm; however we cannot confirm any details at this time.”