Solar farm near Swindon could power over 16,000 homes
A consultation event for Mount Pleasant is taking place on Thursday
A planned solar farm just east of Swindon would generate enough energy to power 16,426 homes a year.
Clean energy company Belltown Power are looking to submit a planning application to Swindon Borough Council this summer.
The site – which is set to be called Mount Pleasant – will span around 150 acres of land and have a capacity of 35 megawatts.
Fraser Shepherd, lead development manager at Belltown Power, said: “As we all know, the government has put out quite ambitious targets for renewable energy and as part of the drive to reach net zero and decarbonise our electricity system. So, this project will make a material contribution to those to achieving those targets.
“The location specifically was chosen based on the part of site searching exercise we've done at Belltown. The site's a good location in terms of having a near a good nearby grid connection, which is close to Swindon itself, so it will help power some of Swindon. Another big factor is that the land itself is graded three to four in the agricultural land classification, so the land itself is not the best agriculturally”.
Mr. Shepherd further said that they have been speaking to the current landowner who is “fully on board” and “supportive” of the plans.
The land is currently used for sheep to graze and according to Mr. Shepherd, the animals will remain on the site once the solar panels are up.
To get feedback from the community, the company has organised an event at Wanborough Parish Council’s Sports Pavilion on March 20th.
Ben Thorne, from Belltown Power, said: “We are very much looking forward to speaking to members of the community about our plans for Mount Pleasant. If approved, this solar farm will provide much-needed renewable energy, helping to decarbonise the electricity network and support Swindon Council in meeting its net zero carbon emissions targets.”
They are also looking for people’s input on initiatives to support as they are planning to set up a £680,000 community benefit and education fund over the project’s 40-year lifespan.
New wildflower meadows and beehives as well as trees and hedgerows are set to create new habitats for wildlife on the site.