Plans for $430 Oxley Solar Farm with battery storage technology unveiled near Armidale

Documents lodged with the NSW government show the proposed Oxley Solar Farm, located about 14km south-west of Armidale, would generate up to 300 megawatts.

The 920-hectare site would be covered by almost a million solar panels, which could power roughly 109,000 homes annually.

There are also plans for a 30-megawatt-hour battery storage facility, to enable on-demand energy around the clock.

The company behind the project, Oxley Solar Farm Development, estimates the construction to take between 12 to 18 months, creating 300 jobs during construction and five full-time employees once completed.

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Construction is expected to start mid-2020 and be completed during 2021, subject to approvals.

It has an expected lifetime of 30 years, after which it would be decommissioned or upgraded, pending approvals.

The site sits north and south of Gara Road, just near the intersection with Silverton Road, with the Gara River running through the middle.

The company has start consultations with Armidale Regional Council, TransGrid, nearby landholders and local community groups.

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So far, the key issues raised include the proposed layout of panels and the associated visual impacts.

"Less than 10 responses have been received to date centred on visual impact concerns and being kept informed on proposal," the documents stated.

"A number of respondents noted they supported solar power generation in general, however were interested in the details of this specific development and how it may affect them."