Fairy Hill Solar Farm (Compton Dando)

Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE)

A not-for-profit, 2.13 megawatt solar farm held for and on behalf of the community, with panels on approximately 4.5 acres.

Developed by not-for-profit community business, Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) in partnership with the local community.

The project has strong community support. Through a community consultation BWCE held in 2021 the project received over 70% in support from 91 residents within the area.

Community solar generates clean energy, recycles money back into communities, improves biodiversity, creates new community amenities and enables local people to take greater control over energy, leading to greater local energy security.

Fairy Hill Solar Farm is currently at the planning application stage.

Key Benefits

A key benefit of the scheme is the contribution it makes towards Bath & North East Somerset Net Zero targets. BANES policy CP3 commits to providing 275MW of renewable energy capacity, 110MW of that via electricity production by 2029. Low carbon and renewable energy are also at the heart of the Core Strategy in Objectives 1 and 2.

Carbon savings:

Equivalent to 580 homes use per year, Reducing carbon emissions by 508 tonnes of CO2 per year, equivalent to 1,180 people’s average annual emissions from driving (Illustrative figure).

Community amenities:

7 acres of new permissive access to the field for local people including features suggested by supporters such as footpath, sensory path, signage and educational information.

Improvements to ecology and habitats:

2.5 times planning requirements including improved grassland, hedgerows, new shrubs and trees, improvements to boundary hedges.

Community ownership:

Project held for and on behalf of the community by BWCE, financed in part by community shareholders who can receive up to 5% interest on their shares depending on project performance.

Community Benefit Fund:

£5,000 per year to reinvest locally, 10-15 times (per MW) more than an equivalent commercial solar scheme.

Land use:

Continuation of farming with grazing between solar panels. At the end of the 30 year term the field can be restored back to original state.

For an overview of BWCE and the Fairy Hill Solar Farm have a look at our information  panels

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