Plans for an 11-hectacre solar farm, which would “support the long-term viability” of Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone holiday resort, are expected to get the go-ahead this week.

The application for a solar photovoltaic panel array and associated works, made by Bluestone Resorts Ltd, is recommended for conditional approval by Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, meeting on February 14.

The 11-hectare array site proposed is to the south-east of the Blue Lagoon Waterpark at Bluestone, to the east of Oakwood Theme Park and immediately to the west of the A4075 road.

The array – which would generate four megawatts of electricity – would remain on site for up to 40 years, if approved.

Bluestone Resorts Ltd said the proposed solar farm would form part of its “commitment to reducing carbon emissions and becoming net zero by 2040”.

Existing facilities at Bluestone include a biomass boiler, providing heating for the Blue Lagoon Waterpark, and a biomass energy centre that provides heating for lodges.

The application added: “The significant rise in energy prices would mean that the development would also provide a significant financial benefit and support the long-term viability of the resort.”

The development would replace an existing plantation of willow crop that is cut on ‘rotation’ to provide biomass for the resort’s heating boiler.

Local community council – Martletwy – has supported the application, but queried why sites around the resort, such as above car parking spaces and lodge roofs, have not been used for solar panels.

Bluestone, in response, said it had explored a number of options including rooftop solar and ground mounted panels in the car park.

It said the proposed site and proposal currently provides “the greatest opportunity for maximising renewable energy generation avoiding and minimising other material planning and operational impacts”.

The report for planners said any visual impact of the application would be minimised “because field patterns and their enclosures remain substantially unchanged and the height of structures are limited,” adding: “Due to the mitigation that is proposed, the openness of the site within the context of the wider landscape would not be significantly affected.”