DOZENS of residents flocked to the Ellendune Centre yesterday to look at proposals for a new solar array in Wroughton.

The proposals, which have been developed by Public Power Solutions (PPS), formerly Swindon Commercial Services, outline plans for an eight megawatt solar array at Common Farm – enough to power around 2,000 homes.

The park would be built on a 16 hectare area of agricultural land, and offset 3,000 tonnes of carbon – meaning if the plans went ahead there would be 3,000 tonnes less carbon released in to the atmosphere than would be the case generating electricity by burning fossil fuels.

Steve Carins, the head of power at PPS, said: “It’s a brilliant proposal in terms of being able to produce solar energy, renewable energy, and being able to cut down on the use of fossil fuels.

“It is also going to be plugged straight into the national grid at a point which is very, very close, and that will minimise disruption.

“We also hope to use it as an exemplar of how solar parks can also be used for agricultural purposes. At the moment it is used as agricultural land, and we hope that it will still be able to be used that way – for example, for grazing sheep – as well as being a solar park.

“The farm has diversified into rural activities such as Christmas trees, turkeys and biomass sales but the land is low grade and underused in terms of agriculture, offering good opportunities for improving the biodiversity and ecology as well as generating green power.

“Communities are at the heart of all PPS projects, and at Common Farm we will be offering a benefit fund of approximately £8,000 a year for the next 30 years.”

PPS also said the site was ideal because it was well screened from its neighbours by existing trees and hedgerows.

Steve said: “Today is all about gathering views from the local community and them being able to have their say.

“We are also hoping that there might be some investment opportunities for locals, such as £60 bonds that will produce a six per cent interest return.”

Public Power Solutions are also waiting approval on another set of proposals for a solar farm at nearby Wroughton Airfield, now owned by The Science Museum, in March.

Should plans be approved the farm would be the largest in the country, with 160,000 solar panels spanning an area the equivalent of 96 football pitches and costing about £50m.

Both projects are among several solar farms proposed around the town.

Another site identified for a solar farm is Chapel Farm, in North Swindon, until recently used as a landfill site.

To view the proposals and have your say, visit www.publicpowersolutions.co.uk/CommonFarm