30/10/2025
Avalon Community Energy Press Release:
Press Release 29 October 2025
The Glastonbury Clean Energy Project, being delivered by Avalon Community Energy (ACE), is looking at alternative sites for clean energy installations following the planning permission refusal of its solar farm on Porchestall Drove.
The solar farm project was being fully funded by central Government as part of the
Glastonbury Town Deal. It was expected to generate over £1 million for the Glastonbury
community through ACE’s Community Benefit Fund, but Somerset Council rejected the application on 2 October. Despite planning rules requiring planning officers to apply a presumption in favour of renewable energy projects, the Somerset Council Planning Department rejected the application primarily on the basis of the visual impact of the solar farm.
ACE does not currently have the funds or available funding to appeal the planning
decision, so it is now looking for alternative sites for the Town Deal project, which will
not only produce a financial benefit for Glastonbury’s community but also help
Somerset meet its net zero 2030 target.
The Clean Energy Project has already installed roof top solar projects at St Dunstan’s School and the Brunelcare site in Glastonbury. These two projects are expected to save over 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, reduce the energy costs of both sites and generate up to £250,000 of surplus funds for the Glastonbury community.
ACE is also looking at putting solar panels on rooftops at St Benedict’s, St John’s and Tor schools and we welcome all support from the school communities to help to continue to move those projects forward.
The rejection of the solar farm planning application means that ACE is reconsidering
other options for use of the Government grant and welcomes suggestions from the
Glastonbury community of other sites within the Town Deal boundary which might be
suitable for clean energy generation.
Read more in the press release on our website https://avaloncommunityenergy.org.uk/ace-clean-energy-project-looking-for-new-sites/
Thank you for your support..
The Glastonbury Clean Energy Project, being delivered by Avalon Community Energy (ACE), is looking at alternative sites for clean energy installations following the planning permission refusal of its solar farm on Porchestall Drove. The solar farm project was being fully funded by central Government...