West Berkshire Council • 26/00447/PASOL
192 solar panels proposed on bowls club roof near primary school
West Berks Bowls Association Ltd Pyle Hill Newbury RG14 7SW
A bowls club has applied to fit a large solar array to its existing roof, close to a primary school and ancient woodland.
- Status
- pending
- Type
- prior_approval
- Consultation ends
- 2026-02-27
Summary
The West Berks Bowls Association wants to install 192 solar panels on the south-facing roof of its existing building at Pyle Hill. The panels would be fixed to the existing metal roof using a rail system. No new buildings are proposed — only equipment on the roof that is already there. The Willows Primary School is right next door, with its nearest buildings about a 1-minute walk away. Around 88 properties lie within a few minutes' walk of the site. Ancient woodland called West Wood lies within a couple of minutes' walk to the north. The installation could generate up to 124 kilowatts of electricity — roughly enough to power 30 average homes. Most disruption, if any, would happen during the installation itself and is expected to be short-term.
What you can do
Comments on application 26/00447/PASOL can be submitted through West Berkshire Council's planning portal. The council can only consider planning matters — such as the appearance of the panels and their impact on local character — not whether renewable energy is desirable in principle. For prior approval applications, the council usually has 56 days from validation to reach a decision.