Commercial law firm Thrings, which has an office in Bath, has advised on the sale of a solar farm that will be one of the UK’s largest when it starts generating power next year.
The 165-acre Wroughton Airfield Solar Park, on a former Second World War RAF air base near Swindon, has been sold by a company owned by Swindon Council and the Science Museum in a multi-million pound deal to the UK arm of German-owned global solar energy company BELECTRIC UK.
Work to install the ground-mounted solar arrays is underway and, once it opens next spring and is connected to the national grid, it will be able to produce up to 41MW of energy – enough to power more than 12,000 homes and save about 20,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Thrings’ team was led by senior partner Jonathan Payne, pictured, who provided strategic and corporate advice to Public Power Solutions (PPS), a company wholly-owned by Swindon Borough Council which works on sustainable waste and power projects. 
PPS set up Wroughton Airfield Solar Park with landowner the Science Museum as a joint venture. BELECTRIC UK was chosen to finance and build the project once it received planning approval.
Jonathan Payne was supported by Thrings’ renewables expert Catherine Strickland, who is based in its Bath office and advised on the original land option, with advice on strategic land and property matters provided by fellow associate solicitor Iain Mason.
Jonathan Payne said: “Thrings is delighted to have advised PPS during the course of this transaction, in particular organising contract transfers, gaining landowner consent, negotiating cable agreements and dealing with matters relating to community benefit trusts.
“The Wroughton Airfield Solar Park project has received terrific support from the local community from the outset, and the deal undoubtedly represents a positive outcome for PPS, the Science Museum Group, BELECTRIC UK and residents and businesses in Wiltshire.”
Catherine Strickland added: “While there remains a degree of uncertainty around subsidies for renewable electricity generators, there is still a high level of support for community-led solar energy projects.
“Solar projects can be robust investments, but it is vital developers and landowners understand all the issues involved in getting a solar farm up and running and seek advice and guidance on the many legal and financial complexities.”
Under the terms of the deal, local residents will have the opportunity to invest in the scheme through a community bond offer set up by BELECTRIC UK, which will also make an annual contribution to a local community fund, linked to the final installed capacity.
The Science Museum will use its income to continue its work conserving the thousands of artefacts in its collection stored on the site’s former aircraft hangars and other buildings.
PPS commercial director James Owen said: “The UK has a binding EU target to generate 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Swindon also has an ambitious target to generate 200MW from renewables by 2020. This project will make a very important contribution to both local and national targets and has enjoyed outstanding support from the community throughout the planning process.”
Thrings has extensive expertise in advising landowners and commercial developers in the renewable energy sector. Last year it negotiated lease terms for the owners of a 230-acre farm near Abingdon on the development of what was then the UK’s largest solar farm also constructed by BELECTRIC UK. It has also recently advised clients on two separate 100-acre plus solar farm projects in Wiltshire.
BELECTRIC UK was represented by Bristol headquartered law firm Burges Salmon, while CMS Cameron McKenna, which has an office in Bristol, acted for the Science Museum Group.
Pictured: The Wroughton Airfield Solar Park site
