Westbury is one of six Wiltshire communities taking part in a pilot scheme aimed at giving local people a say in how renewable energy is developed.
A workshop will be held in the town later this month, allowing residents to explore what community-owned energy projects could look like in the area and feed into early-stage discussions on possible sites for solar or wind generation.
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 first Westbury session will take place on Wednesday 20th May from 6pm to 8.30pm at The Laverton and will cover 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.
“Then there’ll be a discussion about if people would support the idea of a solar farm or wind turbine, and which areas they would favour having one. 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 into the conversation.
“If any project were to be taken forward, it would be subject to additional consultation, technical studies, and impact assessments as part of the planning process.”
The programme is intended to help communities develop a shared vision for renewable energy in their area. Organisers say it is at an early stage and will include further consultation following the workshop.
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-
For more information on the FEL project, visit https://www.cse.org.uk/my-community/community-engagement/future-energy-landscapes/
