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Plans for a solar farm at Stansted Airport have been approved by Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Greg Clark.

The development will be constructed on land already owned by Manchester Airports Group (MAG) immediately to the east of the airport at High House Farm, Takeley.

The project has been designed to meet the airport's current and increasing electricity demands, including from the growing use of electric vehicles, and will not export any surplus for sale to the National Grid. On-site battery units will instead store power for use outside of the peak daytime production hours.

On the sunniest days of the year, it will produce 14.3MW – the equivalent energy consumed by 5,933 homes and almost enough to supply every household in Saffron Walden.

MAG has pledged to make Stansted's operations net zero carbon by no later than 2038.

Managing director Steve Griffiths said: "We are delighted to receive planning permission from the Secretary of State for our 14.3MW solar farm on land owned by the airport next to the main site.

"London Stansted has a long and proud track record of sustainable development, including achieving independently-verified carbon neutral status in 2016 for the airport operations under our direct control.

"The solar farm will enable us to build on this achievement in line with our commitment to make our operations net zero carbon by no later than 2038.

"The development will see the airport generating its own renewable electricity on-site, connecting directly to our own private network, increasing the security of energy supply while at the same time freeing up renewable energy we currently purchase for others to use elsewhere on the grid.

"We will continue to explore new and innovative opportunities as they arise to ensure we deliver the airport's future growth in the most sustainable and responsible way possible."

The airport consulted the community and other stakeholders in November last year. After Uttlesford District Council was stripped of its right to determine major planning applications earlier this year because of its poor performance, MAG opted to present its case to an independent inspector.

After a hearing on August 9, Mike Robins concluded: "While there would be some localised harm to landscape character and some visual harm in conflict with the relevant development plan policies, the imperative to tackle climate change, as recognised in legislation and energy policy, and the very significant benefits of the scheme clearly and decisively outweigh the limited harm."

The solar farm will comprise arrays of ground-mounted, photo-voltaic solar panels with approximately 4m between each row. The panels will have a maximum height of 3.2m above ground level and the majority will face south, with some facing due east to address 'glint and glare' impacts on the Air Traffic Control Tower at the airport.

The scheme will also include an access track through the site, security fencing and security measures plus extensive landscaping and planting to screen the area.