Community energy workshop in Westbury

A workshop will take place in Westbury this month giving local people a chance to have their say on how renewable energy could be developed in the area.

The session will be held on Wednesday 20th May from 6pm to 8.30pm at The Laverton. It will include a discussion on community energy projects and how they could benefit Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Upton Scudamore and Bratton.

“It will provide an overview of what community energy is: energy projects which are owned by and benefit local people, retaining economic benefits from renewable energy in the local community,” said Neil Best, Senior Planner for Net Zero.

“There’ll then be a discussion about whether people would support the idea of a solar farm or wind turbine, and which areas they would favour. It is very much the start of a conversation and there will be a survey and other community engagement after the workshop to get wider input.

“If any project were to be taken forward, it would be subject to further consultation, technical studies and impact assessments as part of the planning process.”

The initiative is part of Future Energy Landscapes, a project run by the independent charity Centre for Sustainable Energy and funded by Ofgem’s Redress fund. It is being delivered in partnership with Wiltshire Council and local community energy organisations.

The event is free to attend and includes a buffet.

To register for the event, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-energy-workshop-in-westbury-and-surrounding-areas-tickets-1985274563662

For more information on the FEL project, visit https://www.cse.org.uk/my-community/community-engagement/future-energy-landscapes/