Residents in three 'Domesday villages' fear their homes will be the first in Britain to be compulsorily purchased to make way for the country's biggest-ever solar farm.

Dozens of villagers living in Hempnall, Saxlingham and Tasburgh in Norfolk have received letters from a developer saying their homes 'may be required' to create space for East Pye Solar Project.

The development will cover a massive 2,500 acres - the equivalent of 1,762 football pitches or the size of Chichester in West Sussex - and is 10 times bigger than the UK's current largest in Flintshire, Wales.

Letters sent in the last two months asking detailed questionnaire about their mortgage and financial status have sent shockwaves through the tight-knit communities.

In total 23 villages between Long Stratton and Diss are believed to have been sent the letters stating their land and/or property may be 'required' for the project.

If the East Pye proposal goes ahead, it would deliver up to 500 megawatts of electricity - enough to power 115,000 homes annually.

However as the plans are deemed a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, the developer Island Green Power could have the power to compulsory purchase land.

Farmers around the UK have been threatened with the possibility of compulsory purchase for solar farm development - but this is believe to be the first time homeowners have been approached.

Residents of Hempnall, which has a population of 1,238 people, have spoken of their shock and what they call 'unreasonable' questions about their finances.

Yvonne Davy, 89, is among dozens of residents who received letters from

developer Island Green Power's lawyers Dalcour Maclaren.

Ms Davy, who has lived in Hempnall since 1973, said she has had three letters dated April 9, May 2 and May 29 - and an unwanted mobile phone call.

The great-grandmother-of-six, who has an electric car and solar panels on her roof, said: "I thought that can't be right."

"They were asking about my finances and my mortgage. It is quite impertinent. "

"I wasn't very pleased when they rang me at the seaside and I told them what they're planning to do isn't very nice at all."

"I don't know how they got my number."

"They're putting these vast numbers of panels and it's going to blight the countryside."

"Where I walk and where I live is going to be surrounded by solar panels the height of a house."

"I understand we are in dire straits and we need to do something about global warming. But where is the food going to come from?"

"They'll get my property over my dead body. It would be dreadful."

"I'm going to be 90 this year and I'm happily settled. I don't want to lose my property."

Robert Eagle, 77, has also received multiple letters with the first in early April - followed by three reminders to fill out the questionnaire.

Mr Eagle, who has lived in Hempnall for 27 years, said he felt 'unreasonably' chased by the company for his financial information.

He said: "At first I was surprised to receive the letter because I didn't realise such detailed information would be needed at this stage."

"I was disappointed because it wasn't explained in what way my property was expected."

"I've had four letters and my wife has had some addressed to her - and an email so I'm not sure how they acquired that."

"I felt as if we were being chased for a reply and quite unreasonably."

"Four letters to me is quite a lot - I'd have thought when they realised we weren't going to reply, that would be it."

Mr Eagle, who lives in a detached home with his wife, said while they were in favour of solar power, they thought the project was unreasonable in scale.

He said: "If I had to give up my home, I would certainly not be pleased. We've been here a long time and we'd like to remain here."

"I suppose that if it came to it we'd have little or no choice with the compulsory purchase powers. We'd have no option to do what they'd ask."

"The thing that really hits us is how unreasonable the project is in terms of"

scale.

"As I understand it, if the proposed scheme goes ahead, it will be ten times larger than the next biggest solar farm in the UK."

David Hook, chairman of Hempnall Parish Council, said they were 'extremely concerned' about the solar farm proposals.

He said: "The East Pye scheme, if permitted, would surround our village and cover in total 2718 acres of south Norfolk countryside with solar panels."

"Our objection to these schemes is due primarily to the fact that their construction would result in the industrialisation of large areas of attractive, tranquil countryside with solar panels and security fences."

"CCTV cameras, access tracks and substations would cover huge numbers of fields and meadows."

"The loss of good quality agricultural arable land is also a major concern."

"The NSIP regime also provides developers with compulsory purchase powers and this is causing great concern to many local residents, in Hempnall and many other villages included in the scheme, who have received letters saying their home 'may be required'."

"The parish council is highly critical of the developer's claim that the East Pye scheme is essential to meet the 2030 Clean Power target."

"This is totally inaccurate as the grid connection date post dates 2030 - it's for 203. "

"The claim that it will power 100,000 plus houses is misleading."

"This may be the maximum potential but is not a real description of the power that would be generated on a day to day basis which would generally be much lower than the maximum potential."

The current largest solar farm in the UK is Shotwick Solar Park in Wales which is 250 acres and can produce 72.2 megawatts of power.