Oxfordshire village plans for low carbon heating supply set for permission

Upper Heyford Parish Council has applied for a ‘Central Energy Centre’ in the village, on land off Somerton Road. 

The scheme would see the construction of 134 bore holes to accommodate the closed loop ground source pipework which will provide low carbon heat to 156 buildings in Upper Heyford. 

It also includes a single storey energy centre building housing which will have an external air source heat pump units and associated pipework.

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There will be approximately 6,614m of trench work to connect pipework from the boreholes to the energy centre and the primary heat distribution system to all participating buildings. 

The scheme has been recommended for permission and will be decided by Cherwell District Council’s planning committee on Thursday, April 10. 

In the planning officers’ report, it said: “The proposed development will provide low carbon energy for 153 domestic buildings and three non-domestic buildings thereby reducing the reliance for these dwellings to extract energy from the grid which in-turn is generated by higher carbon generating methods. 

“This accords with the wider objectives of the Cherwell Climate Change Emergency.

“As the application has been submitted in outline with all matters reserved the primary consideration is whether the principle of development is acceptable. 

“As set out above, the principle of development is considered acceptable subject to matters surrounding highways and drainage being found acceptable. It is recommended that planning consent is granted subject to conditions.”