A crucial assessment of Wokingham borough council’s centerpiece renewable energy project is set for strict oversight tonight (Monday).
The council’s overview and scrutiny management committee will review the latest progression updates, financial parameters, and strategic milestones detailing the implementation of the highly anticipated Barkham solar farm.
Charged with ensuring transparent municipal operations, the committee’s objective centres on evaluating the overall progress of the scheme, confirming the timeline for integration with the electrical grid, and verifying structural compliance with the council’s wider climate action frameworks.
The review will focus primarily on ensuring that the physical rollout, contractor alignments, and grid entry guarantees remain strictly aligned with the council’s baseline projections.
The Barkham solar farm will be a 43,000-panel project designed to generate over 29 megawatts of green electricity – enough to power more than 10,500 homes.
It was originally slated for a full grid connection by 2028, but the agenda reveals that full integration has been kicked down the road to an uncertain window between 2031 and 2035.
The delay means the council has been forced to pause entering a multi-million-pound construction contract with preferred provider Equans, which was supposed to see boots on the ground earlier this year.
Part of the meeting focusing on commercially sensitive information will be held in private.
