A well-attended public consultation meeting over a proposed solar park saw an unexpected business spin-off for a Chepstow-based company.

The event staged by Green Energy UK Direct at Tidenham War Memorial Hall earlier this month was popular with residents from Sedbury and Tutshill and saw scores of visitors inquiring into cost-price solar panels for their homes.

And entrepreneurs Phil Powell, 60, and his business partner Anthony Perrett, 33, who run Chepstow-based Gwent Energy, a community interest company, secured an agreement to fit the panels on properties in the town on behalf of Green Energy UK Direct.

Gwent Energy – which installed a solar system on the Severn Area Rescue Association premises - has already installed around 200 solar systems in Chepstow and Monmouthshire since director Phil, who lives at Larkfield Park, set up the business after completing a BSC in environmental science.

Former highways engineer Phil said: "I have come to the conclusion that we need to do something fairly dramatic with carbon emissions if we are to survive.

"A couple of months ago I went to a conference at Ludlow and it is clear this is the future as we are going to start getting regular power outages.

"In Monmouth we know we have power cuts coming, though those living near solar parks like this won’t have power cuts.

"We are fully behind projects like this at Tump and the solar deal on offer to residents is extremely good. They are offering the panels at cost price.

"We already have 17 systems running for community benefit in Monmouthshire."

The Tump solar park plan is on land over-looking the River Severn owned by farmer David Guest, 73. David’s two sons Andrew, 47, and Ross, 36, work on the family’s 200-plus acres and his eldest grandson Richard, 20, is studying at the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester.

David said: "Lots of farmers are having to diversify these days and a solar park could help guarantee the future of our farm into the next generation after my sons retire.

"We’ve provided milk for millions of people down the years and now we can use around 30 acres of our land to put some electricity back into the National Grid. And we could farm some sheep on the land as well.

"We’ve been warned to expect power cuts this winter due to a need for more electricity in the National Grid, so I want to do my bit to prevent that happening in future.

"We are delighted the public consultation went so well and welcome the tremendous support the project has been given."

Former technology teacher Arthur Bell, 60, a director at Green Energy UK Direct has worked on the project with David and said: "We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to help Tump Farm continue making a contribution to the local community and have been overwhelmed by the support in this part of Chepstow.

"David is a real down to earth chap and it’s been a pleasure liasing with him on the scheme that should provide a much needed boost for the National Grid, but having so many people pop in and give us their backing has been brilliant.

"And linking up with Chepstow company Gwent Energy to do the fitting of panels after the council grant planning approval is another opportunity for us to put something back into the local community."

As well as fitting cost price panels in the area the Cheshire-based company has a corporate social responsibility policy that sees them engage in energy-saving projects with communities they are involved with and with that in mind they intend to put solar panels on three local schools when the Tump scheme is approved.

The Tump solar park scheme also has support from a series of local community groups and several attended the public consultation.