Decision day delayed for massive Sunnica solar farm in Suffolk
The Sunnica solar farm is planned to cover over 1,100 hectares of land across several sites on the Suffolk border with Cambridgeshire
The government has delayed a decision on whether a massive new solar farm can be built in Suffolk.
The ÂŁ600m Sunnica project would be split between three different locations on the Suffolk border with Cambridgeshire.
Panels would cover an 1,100 hectare area near Mildenhall and Newmarket.
The government was initially set to respond to Sunnica's application by next Thursday (September 28).
The deadline has now been pushed to December 7.
Suffolk County Council has previously raised concerns about the scale of the proposal, as well as the impact on local communities.
Sunnica claims the site, when constructed, will be able to power thousands of homes and help the UK get to net-zero.
Speaking following the announcement, the MP for West Suffolk, Matt Hancock said: "This decision shouldn't have been delayed - it should have been rejected, and the huge worry for local residents finally put to rest.
"The development is too big, the scale is too vast and it's in completely the wrong location. It will turn our beautiful Suffolk villages into industrial zones.
"Sunnica's current proposal is not only dangerous but it's undermining support for renewables, and it needs to go back to the drawing board."