The view across The Swale could be about to alter dramatically after plans for what would be Britain’s biggest solar farm were revealed.

Developers last week unveiled plans to blanket 890 acres of farmland near Graveney – the equivalent of 900 football pitches – with the energy-producing panels.

They would be directly opposite Harty on the Isle of Sheppey.

The firm behind the £400 million project, Cleve Hill Solar Park, says the farm will generate enough electricity to power 110,000 homes, equivalent to the number in Swale and Canterbury combined.

The scheme is so big that it is the first of its kind to be classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project meaning it will need to be signed off by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, currently Greg Clark.

But a lengthy public consultation will be carried out first, including meetings in Faversham, Graveney, Seasalter and Leysdown next month.

Hugh Brennan, of solar industry specialists Hive Energy, which is a partner in the project with Wirsol Energy, said: “The Cleve Hill Solar Park is a pioneering scheme, including the potential for new technologies like battery storage.

“Our ambition is to deliver the first non-subsidised renewables project of this scale, delivering low-cost, clean, home-grown energy to power UK households.

“We are still at the very early stages of developing our proposals, which is why we want to start talking now with local communities to understand their views and listen to their ideas.

“I would encourage anyone with an interest in our plans to come along to meet us at one of our upcoming consultation events to find out more.”

The solar panels will sit on low-grade farmland along the north Kent coast between Faversham and Whitstable.

They will send electricity to the nearby London Array sub-station which already receives power from the offshore wind farm.

A second phase of consultation will follow early next year with submission of the application scheduled for later in 2018.

The plans have already raised concerns from environmental groups.

Hilary Newport, director of the Kent branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: "Our initial concerns focus on the sheer scale of this proposal. At 890 acres it is about the size of Central Park in New York.

"We support clean renewable energy but such schemes should be incorporated into the built environment."

Greg Hitchcock of the Kent Wildlife Trust is concerned about the impact on the South Swale Nature Reserve.

He said: "We will be scrutinising these proposals as they progress."

For information about the plans go to www.clevehillsolar.com

Where to see the plans

Tuesday December 5

Sheppey Evangelical Church, Warden Bay Road, Leysdown.

11.30am to 7.30pm

Wednesday December 6

Assembly Rooms, Preston Street, Faversham

11.30am to 7.30pm

Thursday December 7

Graveney Village Hall

1.30pm to 8pm

Friday December 8

Seasalter Christian Centre

12.30pm to 4.30pm

The plans can also be viewed in libraries in Faversham, Boughton-under-Blean and Teynham, Sheppey Gateway in Sheerness, the Alexander Centre, Faversham, Swale council offices in Sittingbourne, Canterbury City Council offices and County Hall, Maidstone.