If placed end to end, the 24,272 solar panels would cover a distance of 39km, crossing the English Channel with ease.
Scheduled to be completed in early 2015, the solar panel array installation will cover the 900,000ft2 roof of the distribution centre and will generate over 6,000MWh of electricity per annum.
The electricity generated by the solar panels will be enough to power 1,200 homes and will reduce Marks & Spencer’s carbon footprint by 48,000 tons over 20 years.
Mark Group project leader Nathan Snowden-Merrills said: "Working on a roof that’s 30 metres high and the size of around 11 football pitches requires specialist experience and we are used to achieving success for installations of this scale and complexity.
"The completed solution will create one of the most sustainable distribution centres in the world making it self-sufficient during daylight hours and setting a high benchmark for others to follow."
