PLANNING permission has been granted for Wales's largest solar farm to be sited on Anglesey.

The 49.9MW scheme is to be developed by Countryside Renewables (North Anglesey) Ltd following a decision by the Isle of Anglesey County Council to approve the plan.

The controversial proposal, which was originally turned down amid local protest, will see 200,000 solar panels being built on a 190 acres of land near Llanbadrig, Cemaes Bay.

Objections had been raised from the Llanbadrig and Mechell community councils, Amlwch town council and there 135 letters from individuals and organisations, but the plan was granted after Countryside Renewables after they lodged an appeal.

It is anticipated that the scheme will generate sufficient renewable energy to power 15,500 average UK homes annually.

John Dunlop, managing partner at Countryside Renewables, said: “The installation will be the first in Wales of a new generation of cutting-edge solar photovoltaic projects that includes an option for energy storage.

“The project will fulfil Anglesey’s extraordinary potential for generating power from a diverse range of clean energy technologies.

“Anglesey is billed as the “Energy Island” and Anglesey residents should be congratulated for helping make it happen.”

Mark Connolly, director at Countryside Renewables said: “Anglesey is truly a unique place in terms of renewable resources."

“Once constructed, from the top of Copper Mountain, on a clear day a trained eye will be able to see in the distance wind farms, a nuclear power station, a tidal array and the North Anglesey Solar plus Storage Project.

“It will be possibly the only viewpoint in the world where one may see five different utility-scale clean energy technologies on display producing cost-effective power from nuclear fission, the tide, the wind and the sun.”

Ben Lewis, infrastructure & energy director at Barton Wilmore, planning advisors to the project said: "The size of the project allows it to make a meaningful contribution to the Welsh Government’s target for Wales to generate 70% of its electricity consumption from renewable energy by 2030.

"It has been carefully designed to have minimal environmental and visual impacts on the surrounding landscape and meets the goals of the Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.”