BOROUGH chiefs have approved a report detailing the purchase of a new solar park on a development site.

Last Monday, Eastleigh Borough Council's Cabinet approved the report detailing the purchase of a solar park at Horton Heath and the opportunity to provide energy for businesses on the new One Horton Heath development.

The purchase of the solar park is said to reinforce the Council’s commitment to seek opportunities to expand its renewable energy generating systems as well as protecting both the solar farm and the land as it is a key part of the 2,500 home scheme.

The park will now also allow the Council to make "much more efficient use of the land" and ensure important highway infrastructure can be provided in a more effective way.

More than 25,600 photovoltaic panels covering around 34 acres of land make up the park which produces around six million kilowatt hours of power per year.

Run by the Council, the income generated from the sale of electricity to the national grid plus an ongoing Government grant for the site over the next ten years means that the solar park will cover the cost of borrowing over this period.

The Council is planning to sell electricity to Commercial units on the One Horton Heath development to ensure a continued favourable financial outcome.

Council Leader Keith House said: “Sustainability and innovation are at the heart of our ambitions for One Horton Heath and this acquisition underlines our commitment to tackle the climate and environment emergency and promote a carbon neutral Borough by 2030.”

“It also underlines our commitment to delivering an environmentally sustainable development at One Horton Heath with less reliance on fossil fuels. It is planned that the 355-acre sustainable mixed-use scheme will create a neighbourhood which supports green and sustainable lifestyles for all.”