West Berkshire Council’s Executive will consider proposals to progress the next stage of the Grazeley Solar Farm, a renewable energy project on Council-owned land near Grazeley.

Members of the Executive will be asked to consider recommendations to continue developing the proposed 20MWp solar farm at Bloomfield Hatch, south-west of Grazeley village.

The project would create a locally controlled renewable energy asset, generating just under 20,000MWh of clean electricity each year. This is enough to power more than 5,500 homes and could save over 4,500 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

The solar farm forms part of the Council’s commitment to addressing the climate emergency and supports its ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its own operations by 2030.

The project has already secured planning permission and a grid connection. Further technical, commercial and financial work has since been completed to assess the scheme’s viability in light of changing energy markets, construction costs and borrowing conditions.

The updated assessment indicates that the scheme continues to present a positive long-term case, while recognising that it remains sensitive to future electricity prices, procurement outcomes, construction costs and local energy offtake arrangements.

An independent review of the business case has also been carried out by sustainability specialists Global City Futures, which concluded that the project remains viable and supports its continued progression.

West Berkshire Council is also exploring opportunities to use or sell more of the electricity locally. This could include supplying energy to Council buildings, supporting future local government arrangements and working with major local energy users, subject to further commercial, technical and legal assessments.

Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways said: “Grazeley Solar Farm is an important opportunity to make productive use of Council-owned land, generate local renewable electricity and support our commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergency.

“The updated work shows that, while there are risks to manage, the project continues to offer a strong strategic case and the potential to deliver long-term environmental and financial benefits for West Berkshire residents.”

If approved by the Executive on 24 September, officers will progress the next stages of the project, including procurement, planning variation work, grid connection requirements, land and cable route arrangements, and further exploration of local energy offtake opportunities.