Go-ahead for plans to cover car park in solar panels
They'll be going over spaces at the new Leisure Centre in Trowbridge
Plans to erect solar canopies in the car park of a new leisure centre have been given the go-ahead.
Wiltshire Council planning department has granted permission for the council to erect ‘solar canopies’ over 64 car parking spaces at the new Trowbridge Leisure Centre.
It follows a similar scheme at the council’s Five Rivers Leisure Centre in Salisbury, which was installed in 2024.
In a planning application, the council said the canopies “maintain vehicle circulation, pedestrian safety, and emergency access while maximising the available parking footprint.”
It added: “The site offers suitable space, orientation, ground conditions, and electrical proximity to support a technically viable and efficient solar carport installation aligned with the leisure centre’s sustainability objective.”
Each of the five steel and timber structures holds 483 solar panels, which together will generate up to 239.09 kWp of electricity.
Solar canopies are becoming increasingly common in Europe. In France, a new law means that any car park over 80 spaces must have at least half its surface area covered in solar panels.
This includes places like supermarkets, airports, stadiums, hospitals, universities, and business parks.
In 2025, the UK government launched a consultation on similar legislation but decided last month not to pursue it.
The plan aligns with the ambitions of groups like the Campaign to Protect Rural England, whose ‘solar on roofs and car parks, not fields’ has become a rallying cry against large-scale solar projects like Lime Down, near Malmesbury.
When the planning application was submitted in June, Cllr Mel Jacob, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for leisure, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The project is intended to deliver five purpose-built solar carport structures, providing 64 covered parking spaces.
“The electricity produced by these solar panels will be used directly within the building, helping to lower carbon emissions.
“This will also contribute to reducing the overall running costs of the building, making it more efficient and cost-effective to operate over the long term.
“In addition to the car ports, the project will include around 1,200 m² of solar panels installed on the roof.
“These are expected to generate approximately 276,000 kWh of electricity each year, particularly during sunnier months.
“This renewable energy would supply a significant proportion of the building’s electricity needs and support the site’s wider sustainability goals, subject to the application being finalised.”
The new leisure centre is on course to open by the end of this year.