Ernesettle Lane Solar Farm

Our successful partnership with Four Greens Community Trust led to the existing community solar farm at Ernesettle, built in 2016, and we are looking to develop our relationship with a new community-owned solar farm nearby at Ernesettle Lane.

Community-owned solar farms operate differently to other types of power projects. We use the profits from generating clean renewable energy to help fund community projects that are making a difference to residents in the area surrounding the solar farm.

• The electricity generated by the solar farm is sold to a utility company
• The profit generated from selling the electricity helps to fund our energy advice service, who support local people facing fuel poverty.
• The amount of income available to benefit the community would depend on the number of panels on the site and the costs of installation.
• Four Greens Community Trust would lease the land to us and charge rent. They use the income from that rent to help pay for their community work in Ernesettle and Whitleigh.

The solar farm could be funded, at least in part, by community shares which enable local residents to co-own the array. Investor members would be offered a fair rate of return and an equal say (one member one vote) in the future of the business. 

This model has worked successfully for our existing solar farm in Ernesettle very close to the new proposed site. 

At the moment our proposals for a new solar farm at Ernesettle Lane are at an early stage of development and we are seeking initial consultation and feedback from the local community.

You can share your feedback with us using the form at the bottom of this page. 

It’s the land next to the motocross circuit, opposite the Parkway Sports Club. 

• This site has been given to Four Greens Community Trust by Plymouth City Council.
• The site is currently used as a paddock to graze horses by a tenant of Four Greens Community Trust.
• A solar park on the site could provide increased benefits in terms of renewable energy generation, improved biodiversity of the site, and an income for local community benefit.
• The site sits within the outer blast zone for the Royal Naval Arms depot, limiting the other possible uses for the land.
• The blast zone relates to the MOD’s Defence Storage and Distribution Agency facility next to the site.
• This places restrictions on how the site can used, what can be built on it, how much time can be spent on it and the number of people that can be on the site.

We have conducted a preliminary ecological appraisal and a reptile survey to assess the impact of the development on the ecology. These appraisals have shown that the management of the land once construction was complete would improve the biodiversity of grassland habitats by 14%, and hedgerow habitats by 84% on current levels.

Use the form below to share your thoughts. 

Note we ask for an email address simply to confirm you're a real person!  You will not be added to a mailing list as a result of your submission. However, if you would like us to respond to a particular question in your feedback, please ask us to in the form and we will be in touch.