Balcombe has been given the green light to develop a 5MW solar farm.

The village, which was selected for a fracking project by firm Cuadrilla, will install its community-owned solar site.

It will have around 18,500 solar panels and is expected to produce enough power to cover the village’s electricity demand and a village nearby.

Residents created a renewable energy company last year to develop local green energy sources.

In a statement the Back Balcombe group said: “This is one of the most ambitious community solar projects ever, and very soon they’ll be asking the whole country to help make it happen.

“But this isn’t just about getting power from the sun. It’s about the power of an example: a community thrust into the limelight and called nimbies for opposing fracking, are rolling up their sleeves to build something better.”

There were major protests in the village two years ago opposing fracking which made national headlines.