RESIDENTS are hoping a solar farm will help turn their area into a sustainable community.

The farm in Charlbury is designed to generate “green” electricity and it is hoped any profits can be used to make buildings in the town more energy efficient.

The plans put forward by voluntary group Sustainable Charlbury were approved by West Oxfordshire District Council earlier this month.

Sustainable Charlbury’s joint chairman Tim Crisp said he was delighted the proposals could go ahead and added the community was set to benefit.

The project, called Southill Solar, will see solar panels laid out across fields to harness energy from the sun on land west of Fawler Road.

The annual return from the project is expected to be £60,080 and some of the predicted profits will go towards a new Charlbury community centre to be built next year.

Residents hope the money will pay for eco-friendly features such as triple-glazing and rooftop solar PV panels. It is also planned that money will go towards making the town’s Grade II Corner House more heat and energy efficient, while £15,000 a year will go towards towards landscape improvements in the town.

Mr Crisp said: “We’re delighted that we have received approval.

“We are encouraged by the open debate that was held at the planning meeting and very pleased that we can proceed with the renewable energy proposal.

“This is the only project like this we have heard about.

“We’ve heard of other projects where communities are generating green electricity but this is the only one we know of where the profits will be used to make the rest of the town more sustainable. It had engaged the community from the outset.”

Initial plans for the scheme met some opposition because of fears about the impact of the panels on the landscape and were turned down by the council last year for the same reason.

Sustainable Charlbury held a “Bring Your Brolly” day, when residents came along with their umbrellas to represent where the solar panels might go.

After this, the plans were revised to cover an area 40 per cent smaller than originally proposed and a new planning application was submitted.

The solar panels should be installed in the second half of 2016.