An MP has added his support for a new solar farm that is expected to be running in Barrow later in the year.

Earlier this month, it was revealed the site at Sandscale Park should be complete and operational by September 19.

Read more: Solar farm in Barrow to be operational by September | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk)

The solar farm is in line to connect to the National Grid in August and will be ready to go after all tests have been completed.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, praised the benefits that the construction is going to bring to the local area and beyond.

He said: "[I'm] delighted that fast progress is being made on plans by Westmorland and Furness Council to build their own solar farm.

"[They're] taking real, tangible action to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment."

Mr Farron added the timing of the implementation makes the solar farm more of a necessity than ever.

"The council say the project could provide enough electricity to power its five leisure centres or 730 homes a year," he said.

"At a time when energy costs are going through the roof, it is also a really positive and sensible step for the council to be generating its own green electricity."

Planning for the 2MW farm was approved in March 2023 and a construction contract was awarded to Vital Energy Ltd in September 2023.

The cost of the project is £2.78 million, with the final product expected to result in savings of around 607 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per annum.

Construction started on site on March 18 with upgrades to the access track into the site, with the mounting frames installed on the week commencing May 20 and the solar modules the week commencing June 10.

The proposed solar farm covers an area of approximately 11.9 ha - the size of 16 football pitches - and encompasses a field of wet meadow used for grazing cattle and sheep.