North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to build a solar farm on a five-hectare site next to the A1 (M) Wetherby Services.

Renewable energy generated by solar will be used to power the site’s electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

They will also allow the rollout of 80 more charging points for customers, according to planning documents.

The proposal involves installing 12,418 photovoltaic solar panels mounted on nineteen rows of supporting structures, reaching a maximum height of 2.04m.

It is expected the solar panels will be able to generate up to 7MW of renewable energy.

Councillors on the Selby & Ainsty planning committee said the scheme should go ahead at a meeting in June, pending the completion of a section 106 legal agreement.

This document has now been agreed between the council and developer Moto Services, which is the UK’s largest motorway service station operator with 59 sites.

The two parties have agreed on a biodiversity enhancement management plan that will ensure native trees, shrubs and wildflowers are planted.

There is also a pledge from the firm to manage biodiversity on the site for the next 40 years.

The proposal forms part of Moto’s strategy to bring forward solar farms on land next to its existing service stations.

North Yorkshire Council said the solar farm would make an important contribution to meeting commitments around carbon dioxide emissions and climate change.

Wetherby Town Council did not object to the application but raised concerns about the risk of fires from battery storage units, the replacement of trees and noise pollution.

In May, neighbouring authority Leeds City Council approved plans for 762 homes just 600m south of the site.

There were 17 objections to the solar farm from nearby residents with some citing the proximity to this major housing scheme.

However, Moto said the solar panels would “unlikely lead to significant adverse effects” on the housing development.

A Moto Services spokesperson said: “The proposed development is deemed crucial for the ongoing functionality of the associated Wetherby MSA. Electric vehicles will play a big part in the transition to zero emission transport, but to achieve these targets, it is imperative that suitable infrastructure is provided to support electric vehicles.”