Work has been taking place on land near Lancaster University ahead of the building of a major new solar energy farm.
The work has begun to rejuvenate 300 metres of hedgerow at Burrow Beck just north of Bailrigg Lane, said Lancaster City Council.
This is part of proposals to transform the site into a solar farm generating 4m kilowatt hours of renewable energy each year, and diverse grassland.
The new solar farm, three substations, cables, CCTV and security fencing will be built on land south of Burrow Beck, Bailrigg Lane.
The proposed site is council-owned agricultural land just south of Lancaster, to the east of the A6 and Filter House (now Bailrigg Student Living).
Planning permission was granted last September, despite objections from residents.
"Hedge laying is a traditional management practice, used for hundreds of years to maintain healthy hedgerows in the UK," said a Lancaster City Council spokesperson.
"It involves partially cutting down young trees and hedges so they lie at an angle while still growing from the base. This allows the hedges to become thicker and healthier.
"Further work to improve biodiversity will include additional coppicing, and the planting of native trees to fill in remaining gaps.
"The fields will continue to be grazed each year on a conservation grazing scheme to help manage the vegetation, support local farming, and reduce the need for machinery on site."
A total of £3.6m was included in the council's 2025/26 budget towards the Burrow Beck plans.
The solar panels will be installed on brackets and will face south to maximise sunlight exposure.
Lancaster City Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since set ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions within the district.
The renewable energy generated by the development will be equivalent to the electrical usage of approximately 1,300 homes. It will be capable of offsetting around 80 per cent of the council’s electricity consumption.
The planning permission was granted subject to a Construction Method Statement which aims to minimise the impacts on nearby residents during the construction period.
Construction is expected to commence later this year.
Objections to the solar farm included that it was the "wrong location for this development" and would create "visual harm to a gateway location into Lancaster and Bailrigg".
Read more: Residents object to council's solar farm plan at gateway to Lancaster - Beyond Radio
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