Wokingham Solar Farm Project Gains New Momentum

Plans for a years-long solar farm in Barkham to generate electricity for Wokingham and the surrounding area have been revived.

The scheme, approved in 2021, would see around 43,000 panels installed after tenant cattle farmer Andrew Lake was removed from the land. Progress stalled after the government warned grid connection was uncertain, leading to a delay announced in November 2025 and the project being put on hold in January this year.

The Liberal Democrat council leadership had been unable to appoint a contractor because of the financial risk, but a change in outlook means the council could now appoint its preferred contractor, Equans. That update came at the council executive meeting on Thursday, July 30.

Conservative councillor Moses Iyengumwena (Hillside) noted the business case agreed in September 2021 covered 25 years, not the 40 years in a revision, and asked if this was a breach of financial governance and whether councillors would vote on the new business case.

Imogen Shepherd DuBey (Liberal Democrats, Emmbrook), executive councillor for finance and governance, said: "The average net income remains above £200,000, and that test continues to be met.

"The issue for executive to consider is not one of scheme viability, but whether to accept a known residual connection risk, or the financial and programme consequences of delaying the contract award."

She added there would be no breach in financial governance rules and that the decision to proceed was being made in the public meeting.

Loui Timlin (Liberal Democrats, Evendons), executive councillor for the climate emergency, said: "This project is extremely important, it's one of the goals of our Climate Emergency Action Plan, and we're all experiencing the fourth heatwave of the year right now, which provides us with a timely reminder that decarbonisation of the grid is absolutely imperative, and this solar farm will generate clean, green energy, supporting a transition to net zero."

Council leader Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrats, Twyford, Ruscombe & Hurst), said: "The environmental benefits are undeniable, and the financial benefits are immensely important to the council.

"So we are in the position where we can certainly not afford to forgo the idea of a significant contribution to helping us to deliver services for our residents, given that we're under such financial pressure."

The executive unanimously delegated authority to the deputy chief executive and Cllr Shepherd-DuBey to move forward and appoint a contractor. Equans has provided an offer that must be accepted by a deadline of August 17.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter