Joint Statement
We have issued a joint statement to help clarify the current position of the Energy in Your Community project.
Read the full statement
We - Bath and North East Somerset Council, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bath and West Community Energy and the University of Bath – are aware of a leaflet circulating locally about renewable energy in Batheaston and St. Catherine, and wanted to clarify the current position of the Energy in Your Community project.
This project is a community conversation to understand whether there is any local interest in community‑owned renewable energy. The approach starts with community views rather than a pre-selected site, and we are in the initial stages of listening and gathering feedback.
Local groups in Batheaston and St. Catherine applied to take part in the project to explore community‑owned energy opportunities through this National Lottery‑funded programme.
Energy in Your Community is not planning any specific renewable energy development in Batheaston or St. Catherine.
- No sites have been selected
- No proposals have been designed
- No planning applications are being prepared
If, in the future through this process, a community‑led idea did emerge, it would only progress with clear local support and would still need to meet all planning requirements.
We want to reach as many people as possible, so further engagement activities are planned over the coming months, both at local events and online. These will include a residents’ survey to gather local views. There will be plenty of time to get involved, and we encourage residents to take part so their views can be heard directly.
More information and project updates are available at www.bathnes.gov.uk/energy-your-community, including details of the residents’ survey once it is ready. Residents can also contact the project team at Community_Energy@bathnes.gov.uk or sign up to the newsletter for future updates.
Guiding your community from first interest in community-owned renewable energy to exploring funding opportunities, always at your pace, and always with local people in control.
About the project
Energy in Your Community helps local people explore renewable energy together.
This project supports the Batheaston and St. Catherine area. In 2025, we ran a ‘register your interest’ process, where community groups applied and were selected to take part.
We guide you through a clear, step‑by‑step journey, from first conversations to funding applications, so you always know what happens next.
At every stage, your community stays in control. You:
- make the decisions that matter
- choose where the benefits go
Progress so far
We have made good progress so far in our conversations with this area :
- July 2025: Community groups were chosen through the ‘register your interest’ process
- November 2025: A meeting brought together those groups and introduced the aims of exploring wind and solar opportunities in the area.
- February 2026: A Community Energy Workshop with 50 residents explored local opinions and technical possibilities for solar and wind power generation in the area.
Who we are working with
We are working closely with parish councils and Grow Batheaston to explore how community‑owned energy could work here, if there is local support.
Together, we are making sure the project reflects local priorities and values.
Have your say
If you would like to get involved, email us at Community_Energy@bathnes.gov.uk.
Events and workshops
At the February workshop discussion, participants:
- talked about their local landscape - what feels precious and what could change
- learned the basics of what community energy is
- explored potential locations based on local sun and wind resources
- found out about the benefits of community-owned energy projects
There are no new events planned for now. Please sign up to the Community Energy Newsletter to be notified of all future events.
What happens next
Following up after the February workshop:
- an online summary of the workshop discussion will be shared publicly
- a survey will be available for those who couldn’t attend, to gather wider community views
- a final report will be produced in Spring
- if there’s support, future workshops will take your ideas forward
This workshop and survey are a first step. If the community wants to take it further, local priorities will influence the next stages. Together, we are making sure the project reflects local needs and values.
Please sign up to the Community Energy Network Newsletter to hear first when the survey opens.
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