The giant solar energy park planned for the outskirts of Swindon at Wroughton is expected to start producing power this autumn after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles gave it the go-ahead.
The 160,000 panels on the 165-acre site will generate 41MW – enough renewable electricity to power 12,000 homes when fully operational. It will be one of the largest projects of its kind in the UK.
Wroughton Airfield Solar Park is a joint project between Public Power Solutions (formerly Swindon Commercial Services Ltd), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swindon Borough Council, and the Science Museum Group, which owns the former World War 2 airfield and uses it to store more than 30,000 objects from the group’s collections.
While Swindon Borough Council gave it planning consent in December 2013 the sheer scale of the project meant it was called in for a public inquiry by Mr Pickles a year ago. Government ministers have voiced concerns over largescale solar arrays on agricultural land – but the fact that the former RAF airfield is regarded as a brownfield site meant the Secretary of State gave it the green light.
His decision supported the recommendation of the Planning Inspector who led an inquiry last autumn.
Mr Pickles’ judgment said the development would make “a significant contribution to achieving the UK’s renewable energy target; assist in alleviating climate change; and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions”.
These benefits outweighed the “less than substantial harm” that would be caused to the environment.
The fact that the site is brownfield land with low environmental value was also taken account.
Public Power Solutions commercial director James Owen said: “We are very pleased that the Secretary of State has recognised the huge benefits this popular scheme brings to Swindon and the Science Museum Group, and we look forward to getting construction underway as soon as possible.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the very strong support from the local community and politicians across the political spectrum throughout this lengthy process.”
Local people will be able to invest directly in the solar park – minimum investment of just £50 – and a community benefit fund for Wroughton will be set up which will contribute around £40,000 a year, for the next 30 years, to local projects.
Matt Moore, who heads the Wroughton site for the Science Museum Group, said: “It’s been a long wait, but we’re really pleased to have been given the go-ahead.
“The green electricity generated by the solar farm will have a positive impact for the Science Museum Group, effectively putting more electricity into the grid than we use as an organisation, while providing a secure and reliable income to help us continue our work conserving the extraordinary objects in our collections.”
