St Mary’s to miss out on solar panels scheme

A Lottery initiative will see six schemes in the Bridport and Dorchester area get solar panels and free electricity.

It will be funded by a loan to be paid back with a community share issue paying five to six per cent, with a 50 per cent tax relief incentive on top.

However, Pete West, Dorset County Council’s renewable energy development officer, explained the Dorset Community Energy provident society scheme to members of the town council’s social and environmental well being committee last week.

He said although the school was keen the possibility of the Skilling Hill Road site being demolished and St Mary’s moved to the Vearse Farm development precluded it being possible.

Mr West said a survey of Dorchester Middle School indicated a £50,000 saving on electricity over the 20 years.

He added: “The only school I’ve really looked at here is St Mary’s.

“They are really keen and we would like to install panels there but the issue is the long-term life of the school.

“It is a good site and the school is enthusiastic but we have also got to look at the interests of the invest-ors.”

He said fitted panels couldn’t be moved as there was no feed in tariff on secondhand ones.

Mr West said: “It seems to me crazy as that is such a good building.”

Headteacher Helen Farmer said it was disappointing but the school would continue to be as green as possible.

She said: “Everything is up in the air and it is not just us in the mix for possible Vearse Farm, it is Symondsbury School as well.

“I understand that people would not be wanting to spend money on a building that might be knocked down – it would be a waste of public money.

“We are very lucky because the Children’s Centre attached to us already has solar panels.

“It is very difficult because we are all dependent on Vearse Farm.

“We have an eco-team headed by Claire Legg and apart from solar panels the team is actually working very hard with sustainability and cutting down our electricity usage with raising children’s awareness and we are hoping to get another Green Flag award.

“While waiting we are not sitting still.

“While our future may be uncertain you can be assured that the pupils will continue to work on other areas of sustainability.”

Cllr David Rickard said it was a ‘shame’, especially as there was not much support for moving the school or for putting housing on the Vearse farm site.

He said: “Basically the West Dorset plan is messing up the school’s ability to have panels.”

Bridport Town Council wants to use the scheme to get solar panels on its cemetery workshop – once the roof has been renewed – and will be asking next week’s finance and general purposes committee meeting to agree to go ahead with the scheme.