Plans for a solar farm that will make a Sudbury firm "nearly self-sufficient" look set to be approved by Babergh District Council.

The project was submitted by JCS Hi-Torque, a company that manufactures specialist equipment for industrial applications, in June.

The company owns a factory on the site at the Chilton industrial estate.

The scheme includes 1,764 panels, capable of producing 803 MWh (megawatt hour) per year, on vacant land adjacent to the factory.

The committee report, which recommends approval of the project at the Babergh planning committee on Wednesday August 10, says: "The proposed solar park has been designed by JCS Hi-Torque Ltd. to allow the business to be nearly self-sufficient in energy production, protecting the business from high energy costs and fluctuations of electricity prices.

"This would significantly improve the long-term prospects of the business and help protect 88 skilled jobs.

"It would also significantly lower the carbon footprint of the business and allow the staff to have the benefit of electric car charging which, coupled with an electric car leasing scheme, would help employees lower their commuting costs."