A field in Wroughton could be used to produce electricity rather than milk if a new plan comes off.

Berkeley dairy farm, which uses fields off Swindon Road has applied for permission to install more than 1450 solar panels on land behind the houses in the recently built Waytes Close and Lower Close.

The company wants temporary planning permission for 40 years. But because the installation is removeable and does not affect the future use of the land, no change of use permission from farmland is needed for the solar park.

The business says: “The need for renewable energy generation to replace existing fossil fuel based power generation is well established, forms part of government energy policy.

“In July 2021, Swindon Borough Council approved the Net Zero Emissions Action Plan which sets out an initial set of actions to progress the ambitions support the community on the journey to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“Small and medium enterprises are encouraged to take a number of actions to reduce their carbon emissions as part of the efforts to collectively reach net zero including electrifying vehicle fleets and installing renewable energy.”

The company’s application says the dairy farm will use the energy generated itself, with any excess exported to the National Grid: “The dairy industry is a high energy use sector with the need for refrigeration and food processing operations the main power use elements. Berkeley Farm Dairy uses approximately 441,000 kWh of electricity per annum, which is already increasing as a result of the expansion of the electric van and milk float fleet the dairy has invested in.

“This proposal has clear benefits for the local community and local economy as it contributes directly to reducing local carbon emissions and will assist in maintaining and potentially growing local employment opportunities as well as maintaining and extending a valuable and high-quality fresh food delivery service using renewable energy powered electric vehicles.

“It will also encourage other local businesses to take steps to become more sustainable.”

The application says the energy provided by the solar installation would be around 662 MegaWatt hours a year saving up to 140 tonnes of carbon dioxide in emissions a year.

It adds that battery storage and charging points for the dairy’s electric milk delivery floats may follow if this application is successful.