Work has started today (Monday 8 December) on a new project to fit hundreds of new solar panels on community centres owned by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Installations are now underway at Bishops Green Village Hall and Beggarwood Community Centre as the first two of up to 13 centres set to be improved.

Other buildings earmarked for solar panels are the Rooksdown, Hatch Warren, Tadley, Rucstall and Roger Morris community centres, The Irish Centre and Carnival Hall in Basingstoke town centre, Oakridge Hall for All, Old Down Hall, Hill Rise Hall in Brighton Hill and the Sycamore Centre in Winklebury.

These 11 other properties are scheduled for works next year, subject to final checks and planning permissions.

Once in place, the new solar panels would save thousands of pounds a year on energy bills and cut the borough’s carbon footprint.

Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “Once installed across all these community centres, these solar panels will generate clean, zero-emission electricity that will bring down local emissions by thousands of tonnes every year.

“They would also save our community centres a significant amount of money on their annual energy bills too, which could instead be better spent on activities, events and services for local people.”

The council is fully funding the new solar panels under its pledge to power more of its properties with renewable energy to improve air quality and cut carbon, supporting its 2019 climate emergency declaration.

More information about how the council is improving its community centres is at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/community-centres-improvements