A new solar farm capable of powering 7,700 homes in fields near the M6 at Lancaster would have a "detrimental impact on the landscape", say planners.
Energy company Opendenergy UK have asked for planning permission to build around 56,000 fixed solar panels on land at Grimeshaw Lane, Quernmore.
But Lancaster City Council planners believe the scheme should be turned down.
This is due to the "large scale of the proposal" and that it would "have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the landscape and the rural character of the public right of way adjacent to the site and its enjoyment" and "an adverse impact on the setting of the Forest of Bowland AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty".
There have been no objections to the scheme from the public, and four letters of support have been sent to the council backing the plans.
Supporters say a new solar farm would provide green energy and that the scheme would be in an "Ideal location with no negative amenity or visual impact".
The council's planning committee, a group of elected councillors, will meet on Monday, November 7 to discuss the proposal.
The planned solar farm would include substations, inverter stations, a control room, CCTV, lighting, a perimeter fence and all associated works
It would be built on 28 hectares of agricultural land east of the M6 motorway, just to the south of junction 34.
The solar farm would be capable of generating up to 28MW of power, which is the equivalent of supplying 7700 homes, and would save 1,150,000 tonnes of CO2 over 30 years of operation.
The panels would have a maximum height of 2.35 metres, with the lower edge around 0.4 metres from the ground and there would be a minimum separation of 3.4 metres between the rows.
A report by Lancaster City Council planners says: "The proposed solar farm will contribute to the decarbonisation of electric energy in the district and to both local and national climate mitigation targets and clearly supports the council’s climate change agenda.
"There are clearly environmental benefits from the proposal in terms of mitigating the impacts of climate change and associated economic benefits.
"However, as a result of the large scale of the proposal, its prominent location within an open undulating drumlin landscape and the industrial appearance of the proposed infrastructure required to deliver the solar farm, the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the landscape and the rural character of the public right of way adjacent to the site and its enjoyment.
"It would also have an adverse impact on the setting of the Forest of Bowland AONB which rises above Moorside Farm.
"This clearly represents clear environmental disbenefits and would also fail to achieve the social objective of sustainable development given the impact on users of the public right of way and visual impact.
"Taking into consideration the benefits of the proposal, it is considered that the harmful landscape and visual impacts identified outweigh these."
The Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee meeting will be held on November 7 at 10.30am at Morecambe Town Hall. The public is welcome to attend.
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