Solar farm plan is a step closer
THE next step for a solar farm to be built on part of an old golf course formerly contaminated with arsenic in Widnes is due to be taken with a contractor to be announced shortly.
The local authority submitted plans last year to develop a one mega-watt facility on part of the former St Michael’s Golf Course.
The project will be partfunded with European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and bring into use a brownfield site, with power generated to power the Halton Stadium in Widnes.
It is due to provide around 500,000kW of electricity per annum for the next 25 years and reduce the stadium’s running costs, with surplus electricity either to be connected to another
● council facility or sold to a third party.
A Halton Borough Council spokeswoman has now confirmed to the Weekly News that a procurement process has taken place and the local authority is going to be in a position to award and announce ‘shortly’ the firm which has won the contract to build and run the farm on the council’s behalf.
Building work could then start over the summer with the project finishing early next year.
The energy generated will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 380 tonnes per year or 9,500 tonnes over the project’s lifetime.
Speaking last year when the plans were lodged, Cllr Stef Nelson, the council’s executive board member for environmental services, said: “This scheme builds on a number of renewable energy schemes already implemented by the council.
“It will enable us to bring back into use a brownfield site, support our ongoing ambitions to reduce the council’s carbon footprint and will also help to reduce the running costs of the stadium so we can redirect funding to frontline services.”
The course was closed in 2004 on the advice of the Health Protection Agency after deadly arsenic was found in the ground.
A major clean-up followed on the site’s northern section which included nearly £2.5m of funding from the Department Of Environment, Food And Rural Affairs.
The work finished in 2013 and a new nine-hole golf course, driving range and clubhouse is due to be built on the northern section, with the solar farm being constructed on the section south of the A562 Speke Road. ●