A MASS survey is being handed out in East Swindon to allow residents a chance to voice their thoughts on an innovative sound barrier which could solve noise issues in the area.

People living close to the A419 have been plagued with noise disturbance from the road for years.

To tackle the issue Coun Dale Heenan, who represents Covingham and Dorcan, working with Coun Richard Hurley (Cov, Dor) came up with an idea for a solar panel-based noise barrier which would not only solve the issue but also pay for itself through money gained from producing energy.

The project would focus on the west side of the A419, running past Liden, Covingham and Stratton, from the Commonhead roundabout to the White Hart roundabout.

In July, councillors voted to set up a task group, with the objective of producing a business case which, if viable, will see the barrier built within two years.

“Good progress is being made on the Solar Sound Barrier Task Group, and I am delivering this survey to try to help inform the options that are put forward in the new year,” said Coun Heenan.

“More than 4,000 households along the A419 in Stratton, Coleview, Covingham and Liden will receive the survey, and I would encourage you to send it back as soon as you can.

“All responses will be helpful and could make the difference about what is proposed.”

One approach to raising the money for the project is have a community ownership model which would see residents being able to invest in shares in the scheme, along the same lines at the Watchfield Solar Farm and Wind Turbines, a co-operative.

Coun Heenan said the authority’s preferred method would be to try to find a fully commercial way using private sector loans and partnerships with business.

If the task group is successful in writing the business case, then formal consultation of solar sound barrier designs will take place in March, and a decision will made by Swindon Council in April 2014.

At October’s cabinet meeting a masterplan to transform Swindon into a centre of excellence for renewable energies was launched.

The authority hopes to power all 90,600 residential properties in the borough with low carbon energy, which means producing 200MW of installed capacity.

Contact Coun Heenan at dale.heenan@googlemail.com or on 01793 613189 or 07792 755227.