Solar-powered car park plan approved

Plans for a new solar-powered car park with 205 spaces in Wolverhampton have been approved.

As many as 1,400 solar panels would be installed on carports to power the car park next to the Wickes store off Stafford Road, with surplus energy stored to help power the surrounding community.

There would also be 82 electric vehicle charging points with 1,200 plants also included in the plans, a report to the council said.

The unmarked land was already used as an informal car park for worshippers at nearby Jamia Masjid Aqsa mosque as well as on matchdays for Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters, due to it being about half a mile from Molineux Stadium.

The plans were submitted by Tomato Energy in July last year but the firm collapsed by November and entered administration.

The firm, which was taken over by British Gas under an appointment by regulator Ofgem, was banned from taking on new customers over debts of more than £3m.

The applicant was then changed to Kenny Virdi from Senapt Limited in November.

The City of Wolverhampton Council previously approved plans in 2019 to use the land as a car park and the site was then cleared, with a number of trees cut down.

Another planning application for a car park was backed in 2021 after a redesign.

Details in the latest application stated the energy created through the panels would be managed on-site, either stored in batteries or used to supply local needs.

"A portion of the energy generated will be allocated to a community battery, creating a resource for local residents and contributing to Wolverhampton's green energy infrastructure," a spokesperson said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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