TWO new solar farms costing £3.5 million are planned for West Berkshire as part of projects to cut carbon emissions.

One project will cost £2 million and the other £1.5 million, over the next three years.

The solar panel farms form part of West Berkshire Council’s action plan to tackle the climate emergency and reduce carbon emissions to net zero in 10 years.

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The money for the two projects were announced on in the new capital budget, which sets out infrastructure investment plans across the district.

Councillor Ross Mackinnon (Con, Bradfield), lead for finance, said the council was “talking with landowners” to find a suitable space to build the solar farms.

Elsewhere, £1.2 million will be spent on planting trees on a large scale and regenerating wetland, to remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere.

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Cllr Mackinnon said this would cover 100 hectares across West Berkshire in trees. And in towns and villages, £120,000 will go towards an “urban tree fund”.

On energy efficiency, £48,930 will be spent in the next financial year on reducing carbon emissions coming from council buildings.

The capital budget was published on February 5 and councillors will vote whether to approve it on March 3 at a public meeting of the full council. 

Shannon Coleman-Slaughter, chief financial accountant, described the solar farm projects in a report to the council’s executive. 

She said: “A number of other councils are exploring and delivering this option, for example Swindon Borough Council and Warrington Council.”

Cllr Mackinnon said the solar farms are the second phase of plans to generate renewable energy in West Berkshire. 

He added that the first phase, putting £750,000 worth of solar panels on council-owned buildings, is due to be completed next month.

The public is currently being consulted on how West Berkshire can reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2030. The deadline to respond to the consultation on the environment strategy is February 21. 

The draft plan is to reduce total emissions to less than 350 kilotonnes of carbon, and offsetting 350 kilotonnes through energy generation and the removal of carbon emissions.

According to the latest available data, 1,294.5 kilotonnes of carbon were emitted across West Berkshire in 2017.