A MULTI-MILLION pound investment is set to help Swindon Borough Council on its way to becoming one of the leading local authorities in the country on solar power.

A report is to go before the cabinet this week which outlines proposals to move forward with plans to invest in large solar farms in the town, as well as set up a community investment scheme.

Last week the planning committee approved the introduction of solar Local Development Orders,which means solar panels can be installed at various sites around the borough without needing to go through the planning process.

It is a key step in the council’s ambition to have every household in the borough powered by renewable energy.

Coun Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Dorcan), the cabinet member for sustainability, said: “A year after the idea was first considered, Swindon Borough Council has become the UK’s first local authority to vote to remove the need for a planning application on solar sites around the town.

“But we have retained checks and balances to avoid a free for all and maintain local resident support.

“Our local target is for 200 megawatts, the equivalent of all the energy used by local homes in Swindon, should be generated through renewables by 2020.

In April, Swindon had approved 147MW and these new measures add another 50MW of potential capacity, so we are close.

“These are exciting times because in other UK firsts, Swindon also agreed that installing the infrastructure needed to support hydrogen and electric cars at 20 petrol stations was allowed as permitted development, along with a district heating system.”

Among the sites are Common Farm, in Wroughton and Chapel Farm, in North Swindon, both of which are council owned.

The plan is to build an eight megawatt solar farm on each site which will be funded by the council, a private company and local investors.

It is proposed the council borrows £3m for each site, with the cost of the loan being covered by returns of about seven per cent.

This will then see the council receive an income from the farms from rents and business rates.

Residents will also be given the opportunity to invest in the scheme, which the council believes currently offers returns of about six per cent.

A Community Interest Company will be established, under the watchful eye of the Financial Ombudsman, which will allow people to invest. The report will go before cabinet on Wednesday night.