Proposals for solar panels on two West Dorset schools are expected to be decided next week.

The applications, for Thorners Primary School at Litton Cheney and Symondsbury Primary School will come before an area planning committee meeting on Thursday, January 6.

Both are being considered by the committee because they involve listed buildings – with a recommendation to approve smaller, amended schemes for both site.

The authority is using government 'green' grants it won earlier in the year to install solar panels on many public buildings across the county including its own offices and school and community sites.

The application for Thorners School has already been amended since it was first suggested with the council withdrawing the installation of panels on the 18th century grade II listed main building and the adjacent 19th century classroom block.

The initial scheme for 150 panels, capable of producing 52kilowatts of power, has now been reduced to four arrays of panels on the more recent school buildings.

At Symondsbury primary school the proposed panels on the southward facing roof of the main school building have been withdrawn from the application because of the harm it was believed they would cause to the appearance of the listed building – a move supported by the parish council.

Dorset Council had originally put forward a plan for 84 panels with the amended plan now suggesting 44 panels set in four arrays to be installed on two flat roof surfaces and one sloping roof of the school's side extension to the rear of the former schoolmaster's house.

The amended proposal is still expected to produce 15KW of power each year, amounting to a 3,570kg saving in carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Both projects will be funded from a government grant of £19million to upgrade Dorset Council's properties, awarded to help to tackle the climate and ecological emergency.

Apart from solar panels, the council is also using the grant to invest in low energy lighting and alternative forms of heating for public buildings, including ground source and air source projects.