PEOPLE living near to a proposed solar panel development have received letters to inform them of an extended period of consultation.

North Somerset Council received more than 20 letters of objection before the original end date, with residents vowing to fight the plans for 32,000 solar panels across five fields in Bleadon.

The authority has now written to more than 60 residents to formally notify them of the proposal and offer a 28 day extension of the consultation process.

Solar energy developer Energi Installations hopes to build the panels on South Hill Farm to provide renewable energy which will be fed into the national grid.

Bleadon Parish Council agreed to support the proposal after receiving just one letter of objection, but said they were surprised by how little communication there had been considering the size of the development.

The consultation will now end on July 16.