Now, however, Hartlepool is hoping its future can be transformed by sunshine.

Three massive solar farms are to be built within a five-mile radius of each other on the outskirts of this Teesside port – effectively turning it into the UK’s most unlikely solar powerhouse.

Individually, it is thought all three sites – dotted on farmland along the A19 – would be among the top 10 biggest such energy farms in the country if they were opened today.

But combined they will cover an area roughly the size of 250 football fields and create enough energy to power more than 43,000 local homes. They will produce almost 150MW of energy every year.

A council has been told it cannot challenge plans to build the UK’s largest solar farm on the north Kent coast.

The Cleve Hill Solar Park will consist of 800,000 panels built on 890 acres (360 hectares) of farmland at Graveney.

Swale Borough Council was told there is no legal basis on which they can challenge the government’s decision to approve the plan.

The council had argued for a judicial review to protect wildlife habitats.

The consent for the development was granted to Cleve Hill Solar Park Ltd by the government, on 28 May.

Britain’s solar industry is facing devastation and consumers could see energy bills rise after the Chancellor Philip Hammond refused to listen to pleas to cancel a planned tax hike of up to 800 per cent on rooftop solar schemes.

The Solar Trade Association described the Government’s refusal to bend over the increase – due to come into force in April – as “nonsensical” and “absurd”.

Bizarrely, state schools with solar panels will be forced to pay, while private schools will remain exempt.