Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC) is proposing to build a community-owned wind turbine and small solar farm at Springs Farm, near Codrington.
At a glance:
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Located in a single field immediately north of the M4 west of Codrington, in Dodington Parish
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A single wind turbine: 150m to blade tip, hub height 105m
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A small solar farm: around 6 acres
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A small Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is also being considered
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Ecological improvements along the River Boyd, plus new hedgerows
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Power output 4.4MW, generating around 6 million kWh of renewable electricity every year - enough to power over 1,500 homes
Please note that the project is evolving and the design and plans are subject to change.
Community benefits:
This project is about more than just solar panels. Bristol Energy Cooperative will fund & operate the solar farm, making this a community energy project. This makes it part of a broader movement of renewable energy projects which:
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Empower local communities
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Are ethical and sustainable
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Support the local economy
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Address fuel poverty and inequalities
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Fund local organisations
Bristol Energy Cooperative is a not-for-profit organisation, so all revenue from the project will support our mission to reduce carbon emissions and empower local communities. We are extremely proud to have supported a wide range of amazing local organisations through our community grant fund, such as:
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South Gloucestershire CAB - energy advice for vulnerable people in South Glos
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Pretoria Road Allotment Society - water harvesting equipment
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Re:Work - advice for people struggling with energy bills
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Empowering Futures - sustainability programme for Disabled children
We intend to run a community share raise for the project - this will be an opportunity to join Bristol Energy Cooperative and become a co-owner of the wind and solar farm. The share raise will be open to anyone with a minimum investment of £100. The target interest rate has not yet been determined, however we are pleased to say that there will be a slightly higher rate for those who live in close proximity to the site. To receive updates, please sign up to our newsletter.
COMMUNITY-OWNED RENEWABLES
SPRINGS FARM
PROJECT STAGES
PROJECT STAGES
In July 2024, we participated in a Future Energy Landscapes workshop in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and Climate Action Yate & Chipping Sodbury (CAYACS). The aim of this project was to increase community involvement in the early stages of wind & solar projects, to ensure they are designed in a way which is supported by the local community. This covered Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Dodington parishes. This event showed particularly strong support for renewables near the motorway.
In March 2025, we presented outline information to local parish councils.
In June 2026, we held a public drop-in at Dodington Parish Hall to consult local residents on the project design. You can view the information boards from the event here. (Please note that the project is still evolving and some of the details on the boards might be out of date.) We also visited local parish councils to present updated information.
In August 2026, we submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Request to South Gloucestershire Council. In essence, this means asking the planning authority whether the project is expected to have a significant enough impact on the local environment to require an EIA to be carried out. You can view the EIA Screening Request on South Gloucestershire Council’s website here.
We have also been working on a number of studies that will support the planning application for the project. These include Agricultural Land Classification, ecological assessments, landscape assessments, a topographical survey, and a noise assessment. The results of the studies have been positive so far.
Our estimated timeline is to submit a planning application in late 2026 with a view to start construction in late 2027 or 2028.
We’ll be in regular contact with the local community throughout. If you have any comments or concerns, please do get in touch with us at projects@bristolenergy.coop.
Thank you so much to everyone who has provided feedback on the project so far.
Bristol Energy Cooperative is a community-owned energy group. This means our projects are funded and managed by local people, with the profits reinvested into the community.
Community energy is a practical, democratic response to the climate crisis. At its heart is the idea that the benefits of renewable energy projects should be felt locally. It gives people a direct stake in the transition to a low-carbon future, helping to cut emissions, reduce energy bills, and support local organisations doing vital work.
We’ve been building this future since 2011 - creating a network of low-carbon projects owned by the people of Bristol and beyond. Together, we’re proving that clean energy can be fair, local and community-led.
We’re proposing to fund the project through community fundraising and ethical loans. There will be an opportunity for local people to invest in this project in the form of community shares or bonds. Each person who invests in a share raise becomes a part owner of BEC’s projects and has an equal say in how the cooperative is run.