Bosses at the Orbital Shopping Park in North Swindon have been given the green light to cover its buildings with 5,000 solar panels.

The application by Orbital Retail Park Swindon Ltd told planners at Swindon Borough Council: “Given the current climate crisis, it is crucial to consider the integration of renewable energies into local communities.

"Renewable energy technologies are clean sources energy that have a significantly decreased environmental impact, in comparison to conventional energy technologies.

“More specifically, in contrast to other sources of renewable energy, Solar PV provides a non- visually intrusive, commercially viable, solution to the issue we are facing.”

The Asda supermarket and the library which are also in the site are not owned by the company and are not part of the application.

The supermarket already has a “moderate covering” of solar panel on the roof according to the application.

The report by the council giving permission said: “By virtue of the size and scale of the building and the line of sight from surrounding vantage points the equipment has been sited and designed in such a way so as to minimise the effect on the appearance of the building.”