Image of the Wilbrahams' Memorial Hall Logo. Orange flower on dark green background with Wilbrahams Memorial Hall in orange.
Featured Great Wilbraham Local Info News Notices 

Community Survey Results and Solar Panel Update

siobhanhall ,

A huge thanks to everyone who completed the survey about your use of the Memorial Hall and whether you support our project to install solar panels on the road slope of the hall roof.

We had responses from 143 households, representing 362 residents (~ 1/3 of everyone who lives in the parishes of Great & Little Wilbraham, and Six Mile Bottom).

Pie graph on white background illustrating the breakdown of the votes with 92.7 percent in favour

 

  • You responded with overwhelming support for the solar project (97.2% supporting, with 2.8% saying ‘maybe’).
  • You told us how many times you used the hall, rec and playground and for what activities. You scored the importance of the hall to your family as a central focus of community life at 4.6 out of a possible 5.
  • We received lots of individual comments about the hall, almost all incredibly positive, but we also take note of a few negatives or niggles.
  • We also had quite a few queries on whether we could protect solar panels if they faced the rec from cricket balls with a wire mesh cage.  We have looked at this: they would have to be robust and rigid, which would present an additional weight / fixing problem (the panels themselves are close to the maximum weight feasible); they would create solar screening issues; they are not available in the UK, so there is no proven supplier. We decided that 15% less generation on the road facing roof slope was the safer option.

Project progress:

  • We applied for a £25k grant from Cambridge County Council in December and will continue to apply for additional grants over the next few months.
  • Ridge Clean Energy (who have recently gained planning permission for Six Oaks Solar Farm (between the A14 and the A11) have pledged a grant of £5K if we are successful in raising the balance.
  • We have applied for and have just received planning permission for the panels.

Thanks also to those who offered to be contacted for financial contributions to the project. It is much appreciated.  We will get as far as we can with grant applications and let you know if there is a potential shortfall.

Emma Adams

Chair of the Wilbrahams’ memorial Hall Trustees.