Plans for a solar farm earmarked for a field in a village near Llanidloes have been approved by Powys county planners despite more than 30 objections.

The scheme will see ground mounted solar panels placed at farmland south of Plas Trannon between housing estates in Trefeglwys.

The site is in a flood zone and the river Trannon flows just 15 metres away from the field.

The scheme would also include an electricity substation and all “associated works” and would produce 0.6 megawatts (MW) of electricity a year.

Planning documents said the site has been chosen as it is “well located” to receive sunlight in a flat landscape that is “free” of features that could overshadow the field.

A Powys County Council planning report said that 38 “representations” had been sent to the council during the consultation period, 33 of which had been objections, four had been in support and one was “neutral.”

Concerns raised by objectors included: how close the site is to homes, risk of damaging property in the event of a storm, loss of view and solar panel reflection, risk of raising flood levels in the village and lack of community benefit.

Local councillor Gary Mitchell backed the proposal saying he was “supportive of greener energy installations, where they are at the right scale and in the right locations.”

The planning report said: “Overall, whilst the proposal will be visible from public vantage points, with the inclusion of soft landscaping proposed within the planning statement it is not considered that the development would result in any unacceptable detrimental landscape impact.”

The land will still be used to graze livestock when the solar panels are in place.

The application was approved subject to conditions, with a further sustainable drainage scheme needing to be approved before work begins.