3.5.3.1 Introduction to the case study: the Drayton Manor Farm project, Anesco and the Stratford PLCIC

In this Sub-section, the relationship between Anesco and the Stratford PLCIC will be clarified, as well as their role in the development of the Drayton Manor Farm project. The Drayton Manor Farm Project is an ongoing project undertaken by Anesco – a UK company group – that concerns the development and operation of one of the largest solar panel farms in the UK. The development of the project comprised the installation and operation of a total of 200,000 ground- mounted photovoltaic solar panels. The solar panel photovoltaic installation is located in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire (Environmental Report 2015; Council Report 2015).1

The project was in principle developed by Anesco. Anesco was found to be one of the fastest-growing company groups in the UK.2 The company group specialises in the provision of services of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Figure 3.5 shows the development site plan of the Drayton Manor Farm project and its operationalisation and compartmentalisation into discrete sections assigned to a group of CICs, which either constituted part of the Anesco company group or did not belong to that group but were assigned with the task of operating the Drayton Manor solar panel farm (see Figure 3.5 and Table 3.13; Council Report 2015). Stratford Community PLCIC was included in the group of companies operating in the Drayton Manor Farm (see Figure 3.5 and Table 3.13). The CIC is depicted under its initial name, i.e. Drayton Community Energy CIC in Figure 3.5 (Council Report 2015).

In March 2016, Stratford PLCIC started operating part of the Drayton Manor Farm project, namely a solar photovoltaic installation (Figure 3.5). Stratford PLCIC was initially incorporated on 26 June 2015 as a private limited CIC under the name Drayton Community Solar private limited CIC (see Table 3.13; see the AoA of Stratford PLCIC).3 On 24 March 2016, the company re-registered at the UK Companies House as a public limited CIC under its current name (Application for re-registration 2016).4

Stratford PLCIC was part of the broader Anesco company group, which comprises 48 organisations (Stratford PLCIC Annual Return 2016; Stratford PLCIC Annual Accounts 2016).5 As of April 2017, Anesco Community Energy Limited held all Stratford PLCIC shares that are 50,000 ordinary shares. The total nominal value of the Stratford PLCIC shares was £50,000 (Stratford PLCIC Annual Return 2016; Stratford PLCIC Annual Accounts 2016). The CIC’s headquarters were located in the area of Berkshire in West London at the same location where the Anesco group was established (Stratford PLCIC Annual Accounts 2016). The CIC operated only in the county of Warwickshire where the Drayton Manor Farm Project is located. The parent company, Anesco Community Energy Ltd was owned by a holding subsidiary company, i.e. Anesco Bidco 2 Limited (Stratford PLCIC Annual Accounts 2016: 18 para. 19).