Permission has been granted for a solar farm at a landfill site.

Plans by Biffa and CEMEX to put up a 7.3mw farm for 25 years on a 10-5-hectare site at Westmill Quarry have been approved by Hertfordshire County Council's development control committee..

Cllr Terry Hone, chairman of the committee, said: "The reuse of landfill sites for solar panels is an opportunity to further improve our sustainability credentials.

"When we had our site visit and at the development control meeting, the committee members took the opportunity to challenge officers and the applicant around a number of concerns, including the protection of walkers' footpath through the solar farm, wildlife concerns, fencing to protect deer and other planned and future landscaping enhancements."

Officers had recommended approval for the scheme, which also involves wood and steel for deer fencing and implementing landscaping and biodiversity measures, including hedgerows and tree planting to limit the visual impact