London’s borough of Hackney is following in the footsteps of Brixton by starting a co-operative for local residents to invest in power projects.

Hackney-dwellers will be able to buy shares in solar panels built in the neighbourhood.

The project will be managed by Hackney Energy, a new partnership between Hackney Council and energy charity Repower London which helped set up a similar scheme in Brixton.

Fundraising for the panels will start soon and building is due to begin to begin later this Spring.

Councillor Sophie Linden, the Deputy Mayor of Hackney Council said: “The aims of the co-op and, in particular, the actions to promote energy efficiency, reduce fuel poverty and get young people into work are ones that I and Hackney Council fully support.”