A huge solar farm will be built on farmland after councillors in Rutland voted to approve the plans.

Their decision echoes that of Melton Borough Council which gave the scheme the green light in October last year.

The site lies across the Rutland-Leicestershire border – at Stygate Lane between Pickwell, Somerby and Whissendine.

The facility will be the size of 130 football pitches – 87 hectares or 215 acres – and will power about 25,000 homes over the next 40 years.

The solar farm will be situated on two parcels of land separated by the A606 and owned by two different farmers. The site lies predominantly in Leicestershire with the smaller section crossing into Rutland.

Separate but linked plans had been submitted to both councils – and both authorities were required to approve the proposal for it to proceed.

A planning meeting last week heard the scheme would not be able to go ahead without approval from Rutland as the grid connection and substation are both on that side of the border.

Objector Jan McCourt urged Rutland councillors to refuse or delay the plans. He said 100 local residents supported his objection – calling their battle against the scheme a "David and Goliath conflict".

He said: "We are not planning specialists, we are people whose lives and properties will be blighted should you approve this scheme.

"Adequate weight has not been given to the plight of Whissendine during the construction phase."

He added that the "serious negative effect of long-term solar on the state of the land" had not been considered and that this "appalling application" would bring flooding, noise, pollution and devastation to wildlife.

The meeting heard that most objections to the plans were based around flooding concerns. Councillors were told that the main risk would be during the construction phase – but that phased construction and soil management plans would be in place to minimise the likelihood of flooding.

The development will save about 43,393 tonnes of carbon each year, according to the applicant RWE Renewables.

Daniel Corcoran, development manager at RWE, told the meeting the firm the largest power provider in the UK.

He added: "The council's landscape consultant was clear that there were unlikely to be any effects on the landscape. 

"With regards to biodiversity, through our sensitive design, the proposals will achieve greater than 50 per cent net gain. 

"With regards to flood risk specifically in Rutland, it is within flood zone one and has not been deemed at risk of surface water flooding."

Mr Corcoran said the income from the solar panels would allow the land owner in Rutland to re-invest into the farm and allow the fourth generation of the family to continue farming.

Rutland County Council planning officers recommended the scheme for approval and councillors agreed voting in favour of the plans by 10 votes to one.