Concerns have been raised about a proposal to build a solar farm on a field in Thurnham.

Solar Securities, a green energy company with six farms in Devon and Cornwall, has asked Maidstone Borough Council for a screening opinion on its plans to use farmland next to Water Lane.

It’s application states that the site could hold up to 50,000 panels, three times higher than a figure quoted by the green energy company at a public consultation in St Peter’s Church Hall, on Button Lane, on June 17.

Brian Clifford, Chairman of the Bearsted and Thurnham Society, said: “There is a mammoth difference between what was shown at the public presentation and what is actually in the application.

“We, the public, were told they want to install about 16,000 cells but the application to the council says there could be as many as 50,000, which is something I have serious concerns about.”

Solar securities has backed down from this application and says that it will submit a new screening request for a smaller site that has the potential for 22,000 panels.

A spokesman from Solar Securities, said: “The original Environmental Impact Assessment screening request was for the western section of the Bearsted site, which had the potential for around 50,000 panels.

"We then reviewed the proposal and considered the south eastern part of the site, which is now also available to us, more suitable as it would potentially reduce the visual and landscape impact of the proposed development.

"This is something that we discussed in detail with local residents at the consultation event.

"We greatly value the opinion of local residents and we are pleased to be able to respond positively to such comments.

"We will therefore we will be submitting a screening request for this smaller site that has the potential for around 22,000 panels."