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Renewable planning SolarBarnsley

Solar planning in Barnsley

Barnsley has decided 13 solar farms and approved 100% of them, taking a median of 1.8 months to decide. Consented capacity: 12 MW. 2 applications still awaiting a decision.

100%
Approved
13 granted · 0 refused
1.8 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
12 MW
Consented
across approved schemes
0
Appeals
no appeals recorded

How Barnsley compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Barnsley sits in the 77th percentile for approval rate (7 points above the England average) and the 74th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

35Approved — 1 (2013)113Approved — 1 (2019)119Approved — 2 (2021)221Approved — 1 (2022)122Approved — 1 (2023)123Approved — 4 (2024)424Approved — 2 (2025)225Approved — 1 (2026)126
Approved Refused

Solar decisions by the year the decision was issued (Renewable Energy Planning Database). Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.

Every recorded scheme (15)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Cranswick Convenience Foods, Valley Park Industrial Estate - Solar Panels
Cranswick Convenience Foods · 2025/1085 · 1.8 mo to decide
2.24Awaiting Construction2026-02-12
Yorkshire Water Services, Ings Road - Solar Panel Array
Downing Renewable Developments · 2023/0952 · 24 mo to decide
0.37Awaiting Construction2025-10-16
Burntwood Sports & Leisure Centre, Common Road - Solar Panels
Saber Renewable Energy Limited · 2025/0114 · 1.6 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2025-04-16
Engine Lane, Grimethorpe - Solar Farm
Enviromena · 2024/1096
49.9Application Submitted2025-01-20
Premier Foods Bakery, Fish Dam Lane - Solar Farm
Premier Foods Plc · 2023/0845 · 6.9 mo to decide
2Operational2024-04-08
Monk Bretton Service Reservoir - Solar Array
Downing Energy Development Company Limited · 2023/0730 · 7.9 mo to decide
0.37Awaiting Construction2024-03-28
Park Springs, Long Royd - Solar Panels
Leggett & Platt Barnsley · 2024/0087 · 1.8 mo to decide
3.1Awaiting Construction2024-03-26
Lundwood, Sewage Works - Solar Array
Downing Energy Development Company Limited · 2023/0515 · 7.7 mo to decide
1.33Awaiting Construction2024-01-12
Worsbrough Waste Water Treatment Works - Solar Panels
Downing Energy Development Company Limited · 2023/0516
0.7Application Submitted2023-05-24
Naylor Industries, Station Road Industrial Estate - Solar Panels
Naylor Specialist Plastics · 2023/0192 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.38Awaiting Construction2023-04-18
Ferrymoor Way, Grimethorpe - Solar Panels
Contrywide Healthcare · 2022/0588 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2022-07-22
Hoyland Sports Centre - Solar Photovoltaic Panels
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council · 2021/1255 · 1.1 mo to decide
0.15Awaiting Construction2021-10-22
Westgate Plaza One - Solar Photovoltaic Panels & Air Source Heat Pumps
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council · 2021/1257 · 1.1 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2021-10-22
Tesco Wombwell Lane
Batchelor Electrical · 2019/0194 · 3.9 mo to decide
0.2Operational2019-07-09
Goldthorpe
Aldi · 2013/0515 · 1.6 mo to decide
1.5Operational2013-07-02

Does Barnsley approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 13 solar farms Barnsley has decided, 100% were approved (13 granted, 0 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Barnsley?

The median time from application to decision is 1.8 months, against a UK median of 2.3 months for solar. That is measured between the submission and decision dates recorded in REPD, so it reflects the whole determination period including any extensions.

How much solar capacity has Barnsley consented?

12 MW has been consented across 13 approved schemes. A further 2 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Barnsley

Battery storage in BarnsleyOnshore wind in Barnsley

Source: Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Open Government Licence v3.0 — 2026 Q1 extract. Approval rate is over decided applications only (approved ÷ approved+refused); withdrawn and undecided schemes are excluded. A permission later expired still counts as approved because consent was granted. REPD covers schemes of roughly 150 kW and above, is published quarterly, and does not record refusal reasons — so nothing here explains why a scheme was refused. Screening context for site selection, not planning advice.

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