MONTHS of planning will come to fruitionthis Thursday with the launch of a share offer for the county's first community-owned solar field.

The project, near Stoke Edith, will be the county’s fourth community-owned solar co-operative project – making Herefordshire the foremost county in the UK for solar co-ops.

Pomona Solar Co-op has already obtained planning permission to install 2.5 acres of ground-mounted solar panels on a field near the village of Stoke Edith, feeding ‘green’ renewable electricity into an adjoining industrial estate, with surplus being exported to the grid.

Having already raised £66,000 through its ‘pioneer’ share offer before Christmas, the not-for-profit social enterprise is now offering shares to local people to raise the £340,000 needed to carry out the installation.

Anyone buying shares – from £100 – becomes a member of the co-op and those who do so before April 5 will also receive a substantial ‘cashback’ bonus.

Members also have a one-person-one-vote say in administering the community fund to be set up using part of annual profits.

Pomona says that currently, £500m a year pours out of the county’s economy to buy energy from multinational companies based elsewhere, including over £100m on electricity alone.

The group aims to help plug this leak, strengthen the local economy and create Herefordshire as a beacon for local, community-owned generation of renewable energy.

"This decision allows Herefordshire to take a positive step towards meeting its energy needs, using local resources and local skills to produce carbon-free, clean, renewable energy," said Nick Sherwood, a sustainability consultant resident in the county for more than 30 years and one of Pomona’s directors.

"It offers local people and local businesses the opportunity to benefit directly from solar energy-production."

Anyone interested in the Pomona Solar Co-op main share offercan email info@pomonasolar.org.uk or text their details to 07957 348885.

Full details can also be found at pomonasolar.org.uk where the share offer document will be available to download from March 5.