SWINDON residents have been one of the key sources of funding for a new solar farm to be built near Purton.

Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy has obtained planning permission to build a 5MW solar array at Braydon Manor Farm.

It is to be funded by people investing in the project and then getting an annual return once the array is operational.

A target of £2.7m has been set and over the festive period the £2m mark was broken, with almost 90 per cent of the cash coming from the North Wiltshire area.

Marlborough makes up the top hot spot for funding, with 11.8 per cent of the money coming from residents there, while Swindon has supplied five per cent of the cash. However, investments have also been received from as far afield as the USA and Zimbabwe.

The investment return would come from the Government’s Feed-in Tariff subsidy and the direct sale of the electricity generated. WWCE has returned seven per cent each year on its previous project, the Chelworth solar array, and forecasts a similar return on this project.

Lesley Bennett, the chairman of WWCE, said: “It’s fantastic news that we’ve raised over two million pounds, ensuring the project’s success, with such strong support from across Wiltshire.

“Our investors will not only earn a fair financial return from their investment; they are helping to secure a community-owned project generating significant, long-term benefits for local people – cutting carbon and supporting wildlife and biodiversity – for many years to come.”

Surplus profits will be recycled back into the community through an independent community benefit fund for re-investing in further local, environmental projects and to support the work of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Across 25 years this could amount to more than £2.1m.

The news that there is such willingness from Swindon residents is likely to be seen as a positive by the borough council, which is progressing with plans to operate similar schemes across the borough.

Included in these plans is a proposal to build a solar sound barrier along parts of the A419 and the M4.

A development order has been put in to place to make obtaining planning permission easier and talks are already taking place with a local company over the construction.