Project revived after months on hold
Plans for a solar farm on agricultural land in Barkham, a project approved by Wokingham Borough Council in 2021, have moved back onto the agenda after months of uncertainty. The scheme—intended to deliver electricity to Wokingham and surrounding communities—has been dogged by delays, a disputed grid connection and questions over the commercial terms.
Councillors were given an update at the council’s executive meeting on 30 July, where officers reported a changed outlook that could permit the authority to appoint its preferred contractor, Equans, to install roughly 43,000 solar panels across the site. The development has already required the departure of the tenant farmer, Andrew Lake, to clear the fields for installation.
Financial terms and governance raised
Concerns about the project’s business case were aired in the public meeting when Conservative councillor Moses Iyengumwena (Hillside) questioned a revision that extends the contract term. The business case agreed in September 2021 envisaged a 25-year arrangement; the revised proposal references a 40-year term.
“The average net income remains above £200,000, and that test continues to be met,”
the council’s executive councillor for finance and governance, Imogen Shepherd DuBey (Lib Dem, Emmbrook), told the meeting. She added that the executive must weigh accepting a known residual connection risk against the financial and programme consequences of further delay. She said there would be no breach of financial governance rules and that the decision would be taken in public.
Climate lead Loui Timlin (Lib Dem, Evendons) also addressed the meeting, emphasising the project’s importance for the council’s environmental objectives.
Timeline and outstanding risks
- 2021 – Original planning approval and business case (25 years)
- November 2025 – Council told grid connection was uncertain
- January 2026 – Project put on hold amid contractor appointment issues
- 30 July 2026 – Executive meeting discusses renewed possibility of appointing Equans
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Panels proposed | ~43,000 |
| Average net income reported | £200,000+ |
| Original business-case term | 25 years |
| Revised term under discussion | 40 years |
The council’s report makes clear the scheme remains a high priority for the authority, but also that risks persist, most notably the so-called residual grid connection risk and the commercial implications of contract length. For residents, the principal consequences are twofold: the prospect of locally generated low-carbon electricity and the long-term management of council assets and income streams.
Any final decision on contract award will be taken in public at the executive, and councillors have the opportunity to scrutinise the revised business case and its assumptions before the council commits to a long-term arrangement.
