Building on their existing development the Heyford Park masterplan includes a comprehensive renewable energy strategy – from large-scale solar farm and wind generation to energy-efficient homes and smart grid infrastructure. Streets and buildings are designed with orientation and thermal performance in mind. Public buildings and schools will be highly energy efficient and contribute to overall generation capacity. Peter Rolton, Chair, Rolton commented: “this is about designing a place that can meet its own needs, reduce pressure on the grid and contribute positively to the UK’s low carbon future”.
At the heart of the energy strategy is an advanced decentralised energy system connecting on-site renewable energy sources — including three 900kW wind turbines, over 5MWp of ground-mounted solar, and extensive embedded solar across both residential and non-domestic properties — with large-scale energy storage. Together, these installations will generate more than 50,000MWh annually.
This renewable generation is integrated through a smart micro-grid, a digital platform that co-ordinates and optimises all energy assets on site. The system acts as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP), using autonomous energy management software to balance supply and demand in real time. It can operate both independently and alongside the national grid, providing enhanced energy resilience and the flexibility to adapt as new clean technologies emerge.
By combining local renewables with digital optimisation and large-scale storage — including utility-scale battery technology and distributed thermal storage — Heyford Park aims to meet a large proportion of its energy demand sustainably on site. This approach supports a defined carbon reduction pathway, with the target of achieving near net zero by 2035 and the long-term ambition of becoming the UK’s first town self-sufficient in its own renewable energy.
The masterplan’s energy strategy will:
David Telford, Head of Strategic Energy at Rolton said: “Our client’s long-term ambition is to create the UK’s first town self-sufficient with its own embedded renewable energy systems. A goal that has never felt more urgent. With the climate crisis accelerating and energy costs placing real strain on families and businesses, new communities must become part of the energy solution generating more affordable, clean, locally produced power than their homes consume”.
The strategy has been designed to grow alongside the community, ensuring that as Heyford Park develops over the next decade, its carbon footprint remains stable — paving the way for a cleaner, more resilient, and digitally connected future.
Paul Silver, CEO of Dorchester Living, added: “We have the opportunity at Heyford Park to do something truly pioneering – to become the UK’s first renewable energy surplus town. By generating more energy than we consume and by doing so on site, we can provide cleaner, more reliable and more affordable power for our residents and businesses. This is about building a community that leads by example – sustainable, resilient and fit for the future.”
About Heyford Park
Heyford Park is an established settlement on the site of the former RAF base in Oxfordshire. The proposed masterplan extends the existing settlement and consists of leisure, employment and a range of 9,000 mixed tenure homes supported by on-site renewable energy production. The vision is to deliver a greener, more energy-efficient community, a place where people want to live.
Credit for photography, Dorchester Living, Heyford Park.
Rolton are delighted to announce our appointed to the North East Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC) ‘Lifts Consultancy, Maintenance, Refurbishment and Installation’ Framework Agreement.
Working with Dorchester Living, Rolton has developed an ambitious new energy strategy that combines digital innovation, embedded renewable energy, and a clear trajectory towards net zero for their Heyford Park development in Oxfordshire.
This year Centreco, a UK leading commercial solar energy system design, installation and management organisation are exhibiting and sponsoring for the first time and have invited Rolton to partner in providing their thinking and content for two sessions focused on energy and technology, bringing thinking around this topic to the show.