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A company wants to harness solar power by putting photovoltaic panels on the ground at one of its sewage treatment works in Calderdale.

Investment company and asset manager Downing LLP is seeking a lawful development certificate for the panels – a “ground-mounted solar array” – at Eastwood Waste Water Treatment Works on Halifax Road in Todmorden.

The panels will be placed on ground which is effectively poor quality grassland or scrubland with few signs of wildlife, says a supporting statement, written by management company Arcus, submitted to Calderdale Council with the application.

The statement says around 0.18 hectares of the site would be used, the array able to generate up to 90kW, connected to the sewage works by underground cable.

The vast majority of the power generated from the solar panels would be used to serve the site but any surplus could be exported to the national grid, says the statement.

Calderdale sewage plant could be about to be powered by solar panels