A new solar farm planned on the edge of Glastonbury could pump tens of thousands into the local community every year – and residents are being urged to have their say before it's too late.

Avalon Community Energy (ACE), the not-for-profit group behind the project, say the scheme will generate enough electricity to power around 500 homes and cut carbon emissions by 240 tonnes a year. But with the public consultation now open, they're calling on locals to grill them in person before plans move forward.

The so-called Glastonbury Community Energy Farm will be the biggest part of the town's Clean Energy Project under the £23.6 million Town Deal. If approved, it'll be built on a 10-acre site off Middle Drove – meaning a quarter of the land will be covered in panels.

ACE will be holding a drop-in session on Thursday 29 May from 4pm to 7pm at the Avalon Community Centre on King Street, where anyone can turn up, see the plans, and give their views.

The team behind the project claim it's a win-win. The solar farm would generate 1.34 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity a year, with all surplus profits – an estimated £35,000 annually – ploughed back into community projects across Glastonbury.

But the land it's being built on was originally intended for something else, and some are questioning why it's being turned into a solar site instead. ACE says the land wasn't suitable for its original Town Deal use, and insists it's not prime farmland – just Grade 3b, with the potential for sheep to graze around the panels.

They're also promising a 25% net gain in biodiversity, with plans to boost habitats, plant hedgerows and improve ditches. "This isn't just about clean energy," a spokesperson said. "It's about creating something that benefits both the town and the environment."

Still, with questions over land use and visual impact, ACE are bracing for mixed reactions.

"We're not choosing between solar on roofs and solar on land – we need both," they said. "This site gives us a chance to make a real difference, right now."

The consultation is open until 8 June. Locals can give feedback at the event or by emailing [email protected].