West Berkshire approves next steps for Grazeley Solar Farm

At its meeting on 24 September, West Berkshire Council’s executive approved plans to continue developing the proposed 20MWp solar farm on Council-owned land at Bloomfield Hatch, south-west of Grazeley village.

The project would create a locally controlled renewable energy asset capable of generating just under 20,000MWh of clean electricity each year, enough to power more than 6,000 homes. It is also expected to save more than 4,500 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

The solar farm already has planning permission and a grid connection in place. An independent review of the business case by sustainability specialists Global City Futures also concluded that the scheme remains viable and should continue to progress.

As part of the next phase, the council will explore opportunities to use or sell more of the electricity locally. This could include supplying power to suitable council buildings and supporting future local government arrangements.

The project supports the council’s commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergency and its ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its own operations by 2030.

Following the executive’s decision, officers will progress procurement activity, planning variation work, grid connection requirements and land and cable route arrangements.

Comments

Cllr Jeff Brooks, leader of West Berkshire Council said: “Grazeley Solar Farm is an important opportunity for West Berkshire. By making productive use of Council-owned land, we can generate clean, renewable electricity locally while taking meaningful action on climate change.

“This project has been carefully assessed and independently reviewed. While there are risks that will need to be managed, the evidence shows it continues to offer strong environmental benefits and the potential for long-term value for residents.

“I’m very pleased that we can now move forward with the next stage of development and continue exploring ways for more of the energy generated to benefit local communities and organisations.

“Since declaring a Climate Emergency in 2019, the council has reduced annual carbon emissions from our own operations by 38 per cent, cutting our carbon footprint from 11,620 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2019/20 to 7,162 tonnes in 2024/25.

“This progress has been achieved through a wide range of measures including energy efficiency improvements, lower-carbon fleet and fuel technologies, investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, renewable energy generation and decarbonisation projects across the Council’s estate.

“Looking ahead, the Council’s latest Net Zero pathway identifies the proposed Grazeley Solar Farm as the single largest contributor to future carbon reductions, with the project expected to deliver the greatest proportion of CO₂ savings required to help achieve the Council’s Net Zero 2030 target.”