£10m solar farm could be built on West Berkshire Council land at Grazeley

Project would offset around 30 per cent of the council’s carbon footprint

A £10M solar farm capable of powering more than 4,000 homes could be built on land near Grazeley.

West Berkshire Council is considering the farm as part of its Environment Strategy to become carbon neutral by 2030.

A feasibility study found that the solar farm, of more than 45,000 panels, would offset around 30 per cent of the council’s carbon footprint.

The figure also includes the estimated carbon footprint of key contractors working on behalf of the council.

The panels would be installed on up to 75 acres of land already owned by the council – generating enough electricity each year to power approximately 4,400 homes.

Funding for the project, which is estimated to cost around £10m, and is subject to further studies and procurement, will be included in the capital strategy for council to approve on March 2.

Subject to the approval of funding and planning permission being granted, work could start on the site in 2022.

Executive member for the environment Steve Ardagh-Walter (Con, Thatcham Colthrop and Crookham) said: “Last year we installed solar on some of our buildings and we are now looking to build on this with the possibility of a new solar farm.

“It could significantly reduce our carbon footprint with any surplus income available to reinvest in other environmental projects.

“Our environment strategy is something we are absolutely committed to and this new solar farm is a statement of our intent towards achieving a carbon neutral district by 2030.”

Mr Ardagh-Walter said there were “still some hurdles to go through”, which were mostly planning related.

Grazeley had been identified for a 15,000-home garden town between West Berkshire, Reading and Wokingham councils, with around 5,000 planned in West Berkshire.

West Berkshire Council has pulled out of the project at this stage after a Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ) was extended to cover most of the site, which is within a couple of miles of AWE Burghfield.

That means that anyone living in the zone could be affected by a “reasonably foreseeable” radiation emergency.

Last year, West Berkshire Council invested more than £500,000 to install solar panels on some of its own buildings – including its Market Street offices in Newbury and The Willink School and Leisure Centre in Burghfield Common.

The initial six buildings installed with solar panels are expected to generate approaching 400,000KWh per year, saving approximately 90 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent a year.