Barkham Solar Farm Project

Significant investment to tackle climate change

The delivery of the Barkham Solar Farm is a key action in the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan in working towards a carbon neutral Wokingham Borough. By generating renewable energy locally and putting it back into the grid, schemes like this have a significant part to play in reducing carbon emissions, securing sustainable power supplies, stabilising the costs of energy, and helping reduce the impact of any cost of living crisis for residents in the longer term.

Current forecasts also indicate that the Solar Farm will generate a considerable net income for Wokingham Borough Council. At a time when the Council is facing increasing financial pressures, this income will help fund important council services over the coming years.

The site

The proposed site for the solar farm is on council owned farmland to the north of California Country Park, to the west of Finchampstead and to the south of Barkham.

The solar farm will connect into the grid via a substation on Barkham Road opposite the Ye Olde Leathern Bottle pub. A map of the site and the anticipated connection route can be viewed by downloading this map:

The project

When operational, it is estimated that the solar farm could generate in excess of 29 MWs (Megawatts) of electricity and produce some 28,563,000 kWh (Kilowatt Hours) of electricity per annum. According to latest Ofgem figures, this would cover the electric usage of more than 10,500 homes.

The Barkham Solar Farm Project will include the following:

Installation of approximately 43,000 solar panels and associated equipment necessary for the operation of the solar farm.
Security fencing, with sensor-controlled lighting and CCTV around the perimeter of the new facility.
Grid Connection – Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) will be responsible for running underground cables from the solar farm to the substation on Barkham Road. The first part of this route crosses council owned land to the north of the solar farm before reaching the highway on Edney’s Hill; whereafter SSEN are currently investigating the feasibility of running the route east along Edneys Hill, before turning north, up Blagrove Lane. The cable laying underneath the highway will require works in the carriageways and associated traffic management.
Public Rights of Way Improvements - Provision of a new Greenway through the site connecting Bridleway 14 in the south with Footpath 10A in the north. A signalised pedestrian crossing will be provided where it crosses Barkham Ride.
Planting of 2.66 hectares of woodland to the south; together with other landscaped areas across the rest of the site including meadow grassland, hedgerows and tree planting will enhance the biodiversity of the site and hep to capture carbon emissions.

A map of the proposed layout of the solar farm can be viewed by downloading these drawings:

Contribution to Wokingham’s Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) targets:

CEAP Target 2.1.1 - Barkham Solar Farm - The Project is an integral part of the Plan. It is estimated that when operational the solar farm will contribute a carbon saving of 5,914 tCO2e per annum.

CEAP Target 1A.4.5 - Local cycling and walking infrastructure - The solar farm project includes the creation of a new greenway route, aimed at better linking Arborfield and Finchampstead to the south of the site, and Barkham village to the north. This will offer an attractive traffic free route and help encourage residents to walk or cycle more when moving around the borough.

CEAP Target 4.1.2 - Woodland planting to improve carbon capture and biodiversity net gain - The project includes 2.66 hectares of woodland planting along the southern boundary of the site which will include the planting of approximately 4,700 new trees.

Other benefits

Fruit Tree Nursery - The Council has worked with Freely Fruity (a local charity) to plant approximately 1,000 fruit trees on the site. Freely Fruity supports community groups, schools, Town and Parish council’s, in planting community orchards across the borough to provide free fruit and vegetables. More detail can be found on their website.

Biodiversity improvements – The landscaping at the site will see big improvements in local biodiversity.

Employment Opportunities - An Employment Skills Plan will be developed to explore how the construction can provide opportunities for local employment, training, apprenticeship, and/or other vocational initiatives to develop local employability skills.

Progress so far

The business case for the solar farm was originally approved by Council in September 2021.
The planning application (reference 211081) was approved in January 2022.
Discussions with SSEN regarding grid connection dates
Equans has been appointed as the main contractor for the project.
A community liaison group has been established comprising of the project team, local ward councillors, the parish councils and other local stakeholders. The purpose of this group is to identify and minimise disturbance to neighbours during the construction works.
A new access has been constructed on Barkham Ride that will help facilitate the construction of the development.

Update on Grid Connection and Project Timeline

A grid connection date for the project had previously been confirmed by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) as follows:

Stage 1 – A non-firm connection for 20MW by 31st August 2026, then extended to April 2027 pending completion of the National Grid Super Transformers at Fleet Bramley.
Stage 2 – Firm connection by Q1 2028 following completion of the Super Transformers investment.

In the period between the non-firm connection date of April 2027 and the firm connection date of Quarter 1 2028, there was the potential that the electricity export from the solar farm would be curtailed (estimated at less than 10% of total export).

In December 2025, the Council received the outcome of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) connections reform. These reforms have significantly changed the grid connection programme for renewable energy projects across the UK.

What Has Changed

Barkham Solar Farm has been given Gate 2 status, confirming its readiness and strategic alignment.
Despite this, the project has been placed in Phase 2 of Gate 2, meaning a firm grid connection with 100% export is now scheduled for 2031–2035.
The original non-firm connection date of April 2027 remains, but the Council will have no information on potential curtailment levels until a curtailment report is issued by NESO in Q3 2026.

This represents a delay of at least 3 years and up to 7 years from the previously agreed firm connection date of Q1 2028.

The Council was due to enter into contract with our preferred contractor, Equans, for a Spring 2026 start on site and completion in 2027. Given the uncertainty around connection dates and curtailment, it is not appropriate to enter into a multi-million-pound construction contract until sufficient certainty is achieved around connection dates and capacity.

The Council will:

Actively lobby NESO and SSEN to seek justification for the revised dates and request a revision back to the original guaranteed connection dates.
Engage with industry bodies and representatives to raise the impacts of the reforms with government.

Further questions

Should you have any questions or require further information, please contact us.