Ovingdean Decarbonisation Plan
Register your interest in participating in the Ovingdean community solar power programme
Ovingdean
Decarbonisation
Plan
Ovingdean Community Energy (OCE) has partnered with Brighton & Hove Energy Services Co-operative (BHESCo) to plan and deliver a decarbonisation pathway for the village – funded by GB Energy’s Community Energy Fund and administered by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub.
The goal is to support residents with the adoption of renewable energy technologies, low-carbon transport, and home insulation upgrades, building a clear and actionable pathway for Ovingdean to become a carbon-neutral village.
In 2024, in Stage One of the decarbonisation programme, BHESCo and OCE delivered a Decarbonisation Plan for the village.
Now, with Stage Two funding secured from GB Energy, it’s time to put that plan into action.
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Read through the Decarbonisation Plan that was created for the village in 2024.
About the Decarbonisation Plan
The Ovingdean Decarbonisation Plan is being delivered in two stages:
Stage 1 - Decarbonisation Study
In 2024 BHESCo completed Phase 1 of the journey by creating a Decarbonisation Study for the village.
With funding provided by the Community Energy Fund, BHESCo worked with Ovingdean Community Energy (OCE) to produce a decarbonisation plan covering the energy use and carbon emissions of all 550 households and businesses.
We produced a 90-page Decarbonisation Plan which complements the existing Neighbourhood Plan. Our study concluded that the village can largely eliminate carbon emissions with the introduction of renewable energy generation made up of:
- 2.5 MW one onshore wind turbine
- 776 kW non-domestic solar
- 5,823 kW domestic solar
We also created a Residents’ Summary which was made available for local households, as well as a whole-village retrofit advice booklet.
BHESCo also submitted a pre-planning advice application for a 2.5MW community-owned wind turbine.
Phase 1 concluded in March 2025.
Stage 2 - Onshore wind feasibility & community solar programme
With additional funding secured from GB Energy, Stage 2 advances the Stage 1 Decarbonisation Plan across multiple fronts:
- a full planning application for a community-owned wind turbine
- development of a community solar and battery storage programme built on a proven model is launching April 2026,
- a village wide EV charging initiative, retrofit action plan, and heat pump rollout to 2040.
Onshore wind power
Stage 2 of the Decarbonisation Plan also advances work on a potential community-owned wind turbine — a 2.5MW installation that could meet the whole village’s electricity needs and generate an average of £16,000 a year for a local community benefit fund.
An important clarification: in Stage 1, we used an example site purely to model the potential community benefit from a wind turbine — it was not a chosen or proposed location. We have heard the concerns residents have about that site. For Stage 2, we have engaged a professional wind turbine development company to work with us to identify the most suitable site.
Technical and ecological studies, covering traffic, noise, ecology, heritage, aviation and archaeology are underway. Our findings will be presented at a community meeting scheduled for July, before any planning application is submitted. — and we want as many residents as possible to be part of that conversation.
Community solar power programme
Stage 2 involves the launch of our Solar Powered Communities programme in Ovingdean.
This is an exclusive offer for village residents to get solar panels and battery storage installed on their homes, with flexible finance options including, self-finance or opting for a no-upfront-cost BHESCo-funded route where BHESCo monitors and maintains your system for you.
The programme offers around a 25% discount on electricity versus standard supplier rates, fixed for 25 years — shielding households from energy market volatility. Profits from battery storage flexibility are channelled into a community benefit fund managed by residents themselves.
Planning permission
Some homes in Ovingdean are located within an Article 4 Conservation Area, where standard “permitted development” rights for solar panels do not apply. This means that even standard pitched roof installations will require planning permission.
The conservation area in Ovingdean contains only a small proportion of the village. The cost to submit a planning application to the council is £538, which we would require the resident to pay separately.
If your property is in one of these areas, BHESCo can help guide you through the process and discuss the next steps with you before any application is made.
Outside of the conservation areas, standard permitted development rules usually apply, meaning planning permission is often not needed.
Support for community buildings
In collaboration with Ovingdean Community Energy BHESCo is supporting Ovingdean Village Hall and the Oxford International College with their own decarbonisation ambitions.
How will energy upgrades be paid for?
There are a variety of options available to meet capital cost requirements for energy upgrades, including:
- direct homeowner investment,
- the Warm Homes Plan,
- a community share or bond offer, hosted by BHESCo
- co-investment with Brighton and Hove City Council, GB Energy or the National Wealth Fund
If you would like to know more about the Solar Power Communities programme, please register your interest below:
Read the Ovingdean Decarbonisation Plan
(click / tap to view)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who are Brighton & Hove Energy Services Co-operative (BHESCo)?
BHESCo is a social enterprise which has developed more than sixty low-carbon energy projects since 2015. Most projects are financed at no upfront cost using a ‘Pay As You Save’ finance model. BHESCo has raised nearly £2million of investment from more than 400 co-operative members and investors. BHESCo prepared an energy survey for the Village Hall in 2020 and has been supporting Ovingdean Community Energy since January 2022.
Where has the funding for this project come from?
Ovingdean Community Energy and BHESCo successfully applied for funding from the Great British Community Energy Fund, which is administered by the Greater Southeast Net Zero Hub. This grant funding is for the purpose of preparing a plan to decarbonise the village of Ovingdean, something that was requested following a community meeting held at St Wulfran’s church in November 2022.
Why is this project taking place in Ovingdean?
Ovingdean Village is an ideal location for a decarbonisation plan, as an essential part of the Neighbourhood plan. The area has great potential for both solar power and wind power. Ovingdean is an area with roughly 85% home-ownership, where around one in five homes is not connected to the gas grid.
Ovingdean has a rich history of being active in sustainability programmes, including the Ovingdean Green Festival, a Plastic Free focus group, and St Wulfran’s Eco Church.
This project is part of a wider programme of community-energy engagement that BHESCo are delivering in the area of East Brighton known as ‘The Deans’.
In partnership with:
Project funded and administered by:
