A new solar farm development will soon be featured on a former colliery site in Nottinghamshire, the local council has revealed. 

Gedling Colliery will be the home of the 5MW generation site, which will help to create enough energy to power an estimated 1,000 homes every year. 

Around 23,000 solar modules will feature on the 14-hectare site, with the farm expected to keep the local wildlife in mind when it comes to development and the finished product. 

The solar panels will feature nestboxes and mounds in order to support the ecological habitat of the area. 

By keeping the local environment in mind, the scheme is adhering to recent guidelines set out by the Solar Trade Association (STA) in its 'Ten Commitments' plan for solar development. 

The rules suggest that solar developments should keep local protected land and conservation areas in mind, and maintain sensitivity to wildlife in such areas.

Work on the scheme is expected to be completed as early as 2014, with residents soon able to benefit from clean renewable energy which could help to significantly reduce energy bills. 

Leader of the Gedling Borough Council John Clarke welcomed the scheme and hailed its potential benefits for people in the local area. 

“The solar farm will provide long-term renewable and sustainable energy for our residents. This, in addition to the recent announcement of plans for the Country Park, shows our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and providing a solid sustainability plan for future generations.”

Gedling, a small suburb of the Nottinghamshire area, has seen the colliery closed and unused since 1991. Opened in 1899, the site was once the main provider of jobs and supplies to the local area. 

The borough council claimed the land in July this year, after agreeing a long-term lease with owners of the site Harworth Estates.