Plans to sell the Cwm Ifor Solar Farm project have been agreed by cabinet to generate a capital receipt that will support the Council’s wider Place Shaping Programme.
The solar farm which will be built as part of the farm at Cwm Ifor, Penyrheol has an exciting new future as we seek to find a new buyer for the site. Savills have been appointed to manage the sale on behalf of Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The 20-megawatt farm was approved by cabinet in October 2022 with Welsh Government granting planning permission for the project on Wednesday 29th May 2024.
There has been considerable interest from the private sector, community energy companies and the public sector in initial soft market testing to sell the solar farm. However, the council will now sell the project on the open market to maximise a capital receipt. The community benefits attached to the project will be vital in shaping the sale process and completion.
The sale of the solar farm will still support Caerphilly County Borough Council’s decarbonisation strategy as well as the UK Government targets for the decarbonisation of electricity generation by 2050. The regeneration and prosperity of our communities remains a priority as we seek to ensure the benefits of the project are maximised.
Cllr Jamie Pritchard, Deputy Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council said, “Our mission was always to bring a financial return to the Council and carbon reduction to help us meet our emissions target. The financial return will help us meet the challenges that we have to address”.
Construction to build the solar farm is expected to start in April 2026 and could generate enough electricity to power up to 6000 homes.
