WORK on a solar electricity project costing almost £290,000 has started at Poole’s Civic Centre.

An array of more than 500 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the centre’s staff car park.

These panels will be fitted to a steel framework, and the first pieces of this metal structure were lifted into place at the weekend.

Council chiefs hope that, once completed, the project will provide around 13 per cent of the Civic Centre’s electricity.

The council also believes the scheme will help achieve an annual gross saving of more than £24,000 and represents a carbon reduction of more than 51 tonnes.

Borough of Poole carbon management portfolio holder Cllr Ian Potter explained: “This innovative project is set to help us to significantly reduce our energy consumption at the Civic Centre, as well as supporting the government’s solar hubs agenda, which has called for large scale solar installations on public buildings.

“A great deal of hard work has gone into making this project a reality, and we are pleased to see this come to fruition.”

Borough of Poole says the estimated capital cost of the project is £289,800, and this includes panel supply and fitting, all of the structural work required and project management fees.

The green energy initiative is being funded through borrowing via the Public Works Loan Board, an executive agency of HM Treasury.

Work will now continue over the coming weeks, with the final array scheduled for completion by the end of March.