In this contributed article, Ross Wolhuter, head of development for Eden Renewables, the developer behind the Forest Gate solar farm, discusses how communities can benefit from shared ownership of solar PV.
As the UK accelerates its transition to a zero-carbon energy system, innovative models of collaboration between commercial developers and local communities are useful tools for building sustainable, socially supported renewable infrastructure.
Forest Gate solar farm, a 49.9MW solar and battery storage project, shows how shared ownership can enhance community support, increase local benefits and create a replicable model for future renewable energy developments.
The North Wiltshire solar farm has been cited as a case study in both Regen’s recent paper, Best Practice in Community Engagement and the government’s current consultation on community benefits.
A community-centric approach
Forest Gate, developed by Eden Renewables, was granted planning consent in March 2023 and is set for completion in 2026. From the outset, we took a proactive and inclusive approach to community engagement. Recognising the growing appetite for local ownership of renewable energy, we collaborated closely with Zero Chippenham, a long-standing local climate action group with lots of experience and exciting ambitions.
Zero Chippenham had already facilitated the installation of numerous rooftop solar systems (currently over 50) through a community solar panel discount scheme. However, their aspirations extended to larger scale projects that could generate significant environmental and financial benefits for the wider North Wiltshire community, and put their mission on a sustainable footing. The Forest Gate site presented an ideal opportunity.
Zero Chippenham then established Zero North Wiltshire, a Community Benefit Society, and approached Bath and West Community Energy, one of the UK’s leading community energy organisations, as a partner and mentor. Zero North Wiltshire and Bath and West Community Energy will jointly own the community share – up to 20% of the solar farm – as a split, electrically separate site. This will ensure that financial benefits are retained within the area and that the local community will be able to further influence the additional environmental benefits.
Funds will be raised through a mixture of senior debt, community shares and community bonds. Investors will receive a fair market return, and the partnership is expected to generate an estimated £5 million over the project’s 40-year lifetime from a 10MW community share.
Zero North Wiltshire and Bath and West Community Energy will use the surplus revenues after covering operating and financing costs to support a range of environmental initiatives. These will include tackling fuel poverty, further carbon pollution reduction, tree planting schemes, a zero waste initiative and air quality monitoring.
Eden is also contributing over £800,000 during the project’s life to a separate community and educational fund which will be managed by an independent panel including the local parish council.
Opportunities and challenges
Eden Renewables’ interest in community ownership of renewables is not new. The company’s leadership team previously delivered a 7.5MW community-owned solar farm in South Devon in 2019 and a 5MW/5MW community-commercial split project in Sussex in 2015.
We were keen to extend this to larger sites where feasible, recognising the mutual benefits and shared interests when commercial solar developers create successful partnerships with community groups, leading to more sustainable and socially responsible solar projects.
We are also progressing shared community ownership at another North Wiltshire solar farm, Red Barn, which will be built soon after Forest Gate, and are working with community groups in the Forest of Dean and Gloucestershire to deliver shared ownership on a new project, Lightwood Solar Farm, which has just been submitted into planning. We are also looking for community partners at a new project in planning in Wiltshire, Blackthorn Solar Farm.
We also work in the onshore wind sector, with shared ownership a key feature of our Bettyhill wind farm on the North Scotland coast. This received unanimous approval at planning committee with our strong commitment to community engagement singled out by several councillors. The Scottish Government has actively encouraged and supported shared community ownership of renewables for many years and we are pleased to see the UK Government following their lead now with policy support through Great British Energy.
We believe that shared ownership helps foster positive long-term relationships with the community and involving community groups in the development process can help build local acceptance and support for solar projects. It provides an important boost for local economies ensuring that a greater proportion of revenues from a project are retained and reinvested in the local area to help tackle climate change and build community resilience.
Like all our solar projects, Forest Gate was also designed with land-sharing principles in mind. With increasing pressure on land for food, biodiversity, energy generation and carbon sequestration, Eden’s approach integrates continued agricultural use and habitat enhancement. Our industry leadership in prioritising biodiversity and nature recovery was one of the key reasons that Zero North Wiltshire was keen to work with us.
Progress so far
As Zero North Wiltshire and Bath and West Community Energy will be investing in Forest Gate after construction is complete, there has been plenty of time to work together to discuss deal terms and structure, financial details, technical configuration and delivery programme, ensuring the community groups are comfortable with the risks and returns of the project. Regular meetings ensure everyone is up to date on the planned construction programme and grid connection dates.
The community groups are also now starting to plan their local fund raises. Community investment and ownership of renewable energy projects has a successful track record going back over a decade, with over £225 million invested in community energy from 2017 to 2023. Bath and West Community Energy alone has raised over £23 million since it was established in 2010.
With new impetus and support from Great British Energy this can only increase – driven by a growing desire by retail investors to take meaningful climate action, benefit from ethical financial returns and retain control over local resources.
A blueprint for the future
Forest Gate is more than just a renewable energy project; it is a working model for how commercial developers and communities can co-create value. By combining Eden Renewables’ development experience with the local expertise of groups like Zero Chippenham/ Zero North Wiltshire and Bath and West Community Energy, the project ensures not only clean energy generation but deep, long-term local engagement.
The community ownership structure gives residents a tangible stake in the green transition, helping to democratise energy and embed it within local economies. As the UK moves toward its net zero goals, Forest Gate offers a compelling blueprint for how solar farms can deliver for climate, nature, and people – together
