A solar farm which could power all the homes in Oxfordshire could be built across three sites.
The Botley West Solar Farm (Botley West) will be split across sites north of Woodstock, west of Kidlington and west of Botley, and could generate enough electricity to power up to 330,000 homes, said the developer.
Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) is launching the first of a series of public consultations on the scheme which runs until December 15.
It said it is working with "supportive landowners", including Blenheim Estate.
PVDP said: "Botley West presents a rare and fantastic opportunity to bring about significant environmental gains in Oxfordshire."
It adds that it "welcomes feedback from the communities across the site areas and is committed to undertaking a transparent and rigorous consultation process, which also involves engaging with the local planning authorities, nature conservation groups and statutory consultees".
PVDP will also be holding public consultation events.
PVDP said the proposed farm would generate about 840MW of power to the National Grid.
And it said it will deliver significant benefits for habitats and wildlife as well as creating new recreational access for local people.
Dominic Hare, Chief Executive Officer at Blenheim Palace, said: “The climate emergency must be a focus for us all today.
"As a landed Estate we are uniquely positioned to take positive action in protecting future generations.
"We believe this Nationally Significant proposal for solar, led by Photovolt Development Partners, will help to safeguard this area and support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels.”
Due to its proposed generation capacity being over 50MW, the Botley West Solar Farm will be classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).
It would need special government classification, which PVDP could apply for in 2023.
More information about the proposals and details of the consultation events can be found on the project website: www.botleywest.co.uk
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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris
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