The fund will provide a total of £16,500,000 throughout the 37.5-year lifespan of the development and is expected to be established in the early stages of the project lifecycle.
The decision to increase the size of the fund follows months of engagement by Photovolt with parish councils, community organisations and relevant local authorities regarding the size and future operation of the fund.
The news follows a call by Photovolt in April for local residents, organisations, and community leaders to put forward their ideas for how the fund should be used. Initial suggestions have included upgrading community facilities, developing youth and skills programmes, and supporting local sustainability and food-growing initiatives.
Following ongoing, extensive consultations and discussions with relevant parties and local communities, PVDP has also agreed to reduce the project’s footprint around sensitive areas. The changes relate to land identified for potential emergency landings by aircraft operating from Oxford Airport. In total, this will see panels removed from 10 hectares of land.
“We have listened carefully to what local people and stakeholders have told us about the fund throughout this process” said Mark Owen-Lloyd, Director of Botley West Solar Farm. “As a direct result of that feedback, we have increased the value of the community benefit fund by nearly tenfold since this project began. We have also once again agreed to remove panels from areas identified as particularly sensitive, in direct response to local concerns. These changes reflect our commitment to working in partnership and cooperation with the communities around Botley West and ensuring the project delivers real, lasting benefits where they are most needed.”
Representing an £800 million investment in Oxfordshire, the Botley West Solar Farm is set to add considerable renewable energy capacity to the county, whilst unlocking a range of social and environmental benefits for the local area. In addition to contributing to Oxfordshire’s drive to net zero and addressing the climate emergency declared by the county’s six local authorities, the development includes plans to help alleviate fuel poverty, boost food security, and support the local economy, as well as a 70 percent uplift in biodiversity at the site.
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