Flood concerns over plans for solar farm

AMENDED plans have come forward to build a new government-backed solar farm on a scrapped Travellers' site in Glastonbury.

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Part of the £23.6m Glastonbury town deal, which is funded by central government, was the creation of a new off-road accommodation site for the 'non-bricks and mortar' community in and around the town.

Somerset Council originally intended to deliver a new Travellers' site on land north of Porchestall Drove, but this was scrapped in July 2024 after the site “turned into a lake” twice in the space of one winter. With the council now seeking to secure alternative sites for this purpose, revised proposals have been submitted by Avalon Community Energy to build a solar farm on the site, following the approval of an initial screening request in December 2024.

Around 1.2 hectares of land north of Porchestall Drove will be covered in ground-mounted solar panels - which between them will generate power for just under 500 homes.