Community energy scheme delivers lasting benefits for Charlbury Community Centre

Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This is a brilliant example of communities, local organisations and the Council working together to deliver long-term benefits for local people.” 

Over £96,000 was secured for the Charlbury Community Centre through a Section 106 legal agreement linked to the Southill Solar Farm development. Section 106 funding is provided by developers to help mitigate the impact of new developments, supporting the local infrastructure and facilities needed as a result of growth. In this case, the funding has now been used to support a range of energy efficiency and environmental improvements at the Community Centre site. 

The funding has been used to install a new rooftop solar panel and battery storage system last month. Earlier grants have also supported insulation, energy saving measures and wider sustainability projects connected to the site, including additional support for the neighbouring Community Workshop. 

Councillor Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, added: “What started as a conversation about renewable energy and how to work together to deliver a solar farm that works for the community has created real improvements for Charlbury. The project is helping reduce carbon emissions, lower energy costs and support important community spaces for local people into the future.” 

The final funding arrangement that was agreed followed extensive work between the Council, local residents and the community energy scheme developers. 

Tim Crisp, Director of Southill Community Energy, said: “We are delighted to have been able to work with Charlbury Community Centre and share its ambitions to become an energy efficient building. It is a much-used facility and this project helps demonstrate how community-led renewable energy developments can share their success by providing significant funding support for these types of energy saving projects.” 

Before the current Southill Solar Farm plan was agreed, an earlier proposal for the solar farm was put forward that was considered too visually intrusive within the Cotswolds National Landscape. To help move the proposal forward, local residents and organisers worked closely with planning officers to redesign the scheme. This included a community “Umbrella Day”, where residents stood across the landscape holding brightly coloured umbrellas to demonstrate where the development would and would not have an acceptable visual impact. 

This collaborative approach helped shape a revised proposal that balanced renewable energy generation with protection of the local landscape and delivered clear community benefits. 

Alongside funding for Charlbury Community Centre, the agreement also secured support for projects including dry stone wall restoration on the Southill site and local environmental initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and restoring nature. 

The grants have initially been distributed through Southill Community Energy and later through Sustainable Charlbury after it became a charitable incorporated organisation. The project reflects the Council’s wider commitment to responding to the climate emergency, supporting community resilience and encouraging renewable energy schemes that deliver direct local benefits.