Plans for huge solar farm that would power thousands of Swindon homes

Plans for renewable energy near Swindon would generate enough power for more than 16,000 homes.

The solar farm site near Wanborough, which would be known as Mount Pleasant, is being brought forward by Belltown Power and will meet the equivalent energy needs of approximately 16,426 homes per year.

Belltown Power is an established clean energy company at the leading edge of project development in the UK.

Founded in 2013 by a team of highly experienced renewable energy professionals, it has successfully delivered over 200 megawatts of now operating wind, solar, and hydropower capacity across Scotland, Wales and England.

Before submitting its plans, Belltown will be holding a community engagement event at Wanborough Parish Council’s Sports Pavilion from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday, March 20.

Once the site is operational, Belltown will be providing a community benefit and education fund of £680,000 over the lifetime of the project.

This funding will help support local initiatives such as rooftop solar panels on community buildings or conservation projects as well as funding for nearby primary schools to visit the sites and hold classroom workshops.

Ben Thorne, from Belltown Power said: “We are very much looking forward to speaking to members of the community about our plans for Mount Pleasant.

“If approved, this solar farm will provide much-needed renewable energy, helping to decarbonise the electricity network and support Swindon Borough Council in meeting its net zero carbon emissions targets.”

The energy company says that solar farms generate clean electricity, help tackle the climate emergency, and have the potential to become havens for wildlife, increasing the area’s biodiversity.

Enhanced landscaping — including new trees and hedgerows — will screen the site and provide habitats for a wide variety of animals.

New wildflower meadows and beehives will support pollinators, alongside insect hotels and bird boxes.

A planning application for the new solar farm near Swindon will be submitted in late spring or early summer to the local authority.

For further information about the scheme, visit the www.mountpleasantsolarfarm.com website.

This follows separate plans by Rivan Industries Ltd to install solar panels and a gas production plant on a field north of Blunsdon, off Little Rose Lane.

As well as the panels, the production plant would be equivalent to 15 40-foot shipping containers sited on the field.

The aim is, similarly, to help combat climate change by generating clean and renewable energy rather than fossil fuels which emit harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.