A SOLAR farm has been bought up as part of a new 2,500 home development.

Eastleigh Borough Council has added the solar park at Chalcroft Farm, Burnetts Lane to its solar power generating portfolio.

The 6.3 megawatt solar farm is said to be a “key part” of the new One Horton Heath development and the council says the move underlines its commitment to deliver an “environmentally sustainable development with no reliance on fossil fuels”.

The solar park, which produces around six million kilowatt hours of power per year, was built in 2013 by Solarcentury and hosts more than 25,600 photovoltaic panels covering around 34 acres of land.

The council, which is both landowner and developer of One Horton Heath, secured the acquisition from Viners Ltd, and the related freehold of the land from Chalcroft Farm Partners.

The authority already owns and operates smaller solar generating assets around the borough.

Leader of the council, Cllr Keith House, said: “Sustainability and innovation are at the heart of our ambitions for One Horton Heath and this acquisition underlines our commitment to tackle the climate and environment emergency and promote a carbon neutral Borough by 2030.”

The 355-acre scheme, currently under construction, is set to be 35 per cent affordable homes and will include new roads, footways and cycleways.

The council also says it will include green infrastructure and public open space, new community facilities, a three-form primary school and a commercial centre.

From the outset the development’s project brief stated that the scheme would be “proactively planned to minimise the impact of the development on the existing community and environment during construction and throughout its lifetime.”