Owners of a farmhouse in North Herts strongly object to plans to build a solar farm on surrounding Green Belt land - and are concerned that the wording of the plan implies the family is involved with the proposals.

Cliff Nye and his sons James and Howard run Anglian Country Inns (ACI) - which includes the Farmhouse at Redcoats.

RNA Energy are currently consulting on proposals to build a solar farm and battery energy storage facility, covering approximately 35.1 hectares of land to the south of Sperberry Hill and Stevenage Road, between St Ippolyts and Titmore Green.

The Nye family objects to the plans on the grounds that it will have a negative impact on the wildlife and peaceful landscape surrounding the farm.

They described the plan as "abhorrent" and added that the developers are using the name 'Redcoats Farm' for the proposed plan - leading customers and local villagers to contact ACI to express their displeasure, believing the plans to be associated with the farmhouse.

Founder Cliff Nye said: "It has absolutely nothing to do with The Farmhouse at Redcoats despite the name of the plan being very misleading.

"As a family business we marked our 25th birthday last year, we want to be here for another 25 at least and therefore recognise the importance of sustainability and the role renewables play in that.

"However this location on Green Belt land and the knock-on effects on wildlife deem this plan completely inappropriate.

"We are taking legal action as we do not wish to have any association with the plan which quite rightly is attracting a lot of animosity from local villages.”

Cliff added: "We want to make it absolutely clear that this plan and its destruction of the Green Belt and wildlife, including endangered species of skylarks, red kites and owls, has nothing to do with our us and we encourage anyone who lives locally to email your objection now before this plan goes any further.”

The public consultation runs until Monday, January 24.

For more information go to https://redcoatsfarmsolar.co.uk/ and to comment email redcoatsfarmsolar@havingyoursay.co.uk or call 0333 358 0502.