Novarly ParcelRenewable planning

Renewable planning SolarCentral Bedfordshire

Solar planning in Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire has decided 32 solar farms and approved 97% of them, taking a median of 3.2 months to decide. Consented capacity: 229 MW. 8 applications still awaiting a decision.

97%
Approved
31 granted · 1 refused
3.2 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
229 MW
Consented
11 MW refused
1
Appeals
1 allowed on appeal

How Central Bedfordshire compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Central Bedfordshire sits in the 52nd percentile for approval rate (4 points above the England average) and the 27th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

510Approved — 1 (2011)111Approved — 1 (2013)113Approved — 1 (2014)Refused — 1 (2014)214Approved — 4 (2015)415Approved — 2 (2020)220Approved — 4 (2021)421Approved — 1 (2022)122Approved — 4 (2023)423Approved — 7 (2024)724Approved — 5 (2025)525
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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (49)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Tesco Stores, New Road - Solar Panels
Tesco Plc · CB/25/03763/PASP
0.27Application Submitted2025-12-10
Aco Technologies Plc, Hitchin Road - Solar Panels
Potentia Engineering Limited · CB/25/02932/PASP · 1.5 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2025-12-02
Lowfield Farm - Solar Farm
Renewable Connections Developments Limited · CB/24/03703/FULL · 9.6 mo to decide
26.5Awaiting Construction2025-11-03
Stone Lane Quarry, Woburn Road - Solar Array Area
Arnold White Estates Limited · CB/25/02340/FULL
5.1Application Submitted2025-08-21
Watling Street, Caddington - Solar Farm
Chiltern Renewables Hockliffe Limited · CB/24/02069/FULL · 13 mo to decide
19.69Awaiting Construction2025-08-14
Greenfield Road - Samphill Solar Farm
Anesco Limited · CB/25/02017/FULL
38.37Application Submitted2025-06-23
Panattoni Park, Luton Road - Solar Panels
Saber Renewable Energy Limited · CB/25/00701/PASP · 1.4 mo to decide
2.3Awaiting Construction2025-04-15
J PAO, Humphrys Road - Solar Panels
J Pao & Co limited · CB/25/00482/PASP · 1.3 mo to decide
0.36Awaiting Construction2025-03-26
Vinci Technology Centre, Leighton Road - Solar Panels
Vinci Technology Centre UK Limited · CB/24/02765/PASP · 1.4 mo to decide
0.33Awaiting Construction2024-11-04
Prologis DC4 Marston Gate, Brockley Way - Solar Panels
Prologis UK Limited · CB/24/00833/PASP · 1.8 mo to decide
0.35Awaiting Construction2024-05-16
Stratton Business Park, Pegasus Drive - Solar Panels
ABRDN · CB/24/00832/PASP · 1.6 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2024-05-09
Lister House, Blackburn Road - Solar Panels
Helapet Limited · CB/24/00731/PASP · 1.4 mo to decide
0.15Awaiting Construction2024-04-25
Brogborough Landfill, Lidlington - Solar PV park
Infinis Solar Developments Limited · CB/22/00548/MW · 25.7 mo to decide
40Awaiting Construction2024-04-23
Astral Green - Wind Turbine, Solar Array & Battery Energy Storage System
Arnold White Estates Limited · CB/23/03278/FULL · 4.5 mo to decide
2.09Awaiting Construction2024-04-08
Endoline Machinery Limited, Stratton Business Park - Solar Panels
Abrdn · CB/24/00440/PASP
0.69Application Withdrawn2024-03-25
Old Warden Aerodrome, Old Warden Park - Solar Panels
The Richard Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust · CB/23/04006/PASP · 1.4 mo to decide
0.23Awaiting Construction2024-01-26
Leighton Linslade Water Recycling Centre - PV Array
Anglian Water Services Limited · CB/23/03596/LDCP · 1.4 mo to decide
0.45Awaiting Construction2023-12-21
Old Warden Park, Old Warden - Solar PV
The Richard Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust · CB/23/03455/PASP
0.26Application Withdrawn2023-11-29
Watling Street, Caddington - Solar Farm
Chiltern Renewables Hockliffe Limited · CB/23/03583/OUT
19.69Revised2023-11-17
Aggregate Industries, Grovebury Road - Solar Panels
Aggregate Industries UK Limited · CB/23/02414/PASP
0.3Application Withdrawn2023-07-27
Chalgrave Manor, Luton Road - Solar Farm
Aton Energy · CB/22/04302/FULL · 6.1 mo to decide
40Awaiting Construction2023-05-19
University Way, Cranfield - Solar Array
Cranfield University · CB/22/04054/FULL · 3.3 mo to decide
0.88Operational2023-03-02
Leighton Road & Hawthorn - Solar Panels
Econergy International Limited · CB/22/04934/FULL
20Application Submitted2023-02-28
G And M Growers, Hitchin Road - Solar Photovoltaics Panels
G & M Growers Limited · CB/22/04796/PASP · 2.3 mo to decide
0.2Awaiting Construction2023-02-22
Greenfield Road - Samphill Solar Farm
Anesco Limited · CB/21/02583/FULL
43.45Revised2022-07-30
Tebworth - Solar Farm
Sundon Green Limited · CB/21/04219/FULL · 8.3 mo to decide
Under Construction2022-05-30
Moggerhanger Road, Sandy - Solar Farm
Kach Capital Estates Limited · CB/22/00752/FULL
7Application Submitted2022-03-10
Grounds Farm - Solar farm
Encavis · CB/21/01571/FULL · 6.4 mo to decide
20Awaiting Construction2021-10-19
Cranfield University - Solar Farm
Cranfield University · CB/21/01231/FULL · 7 mo to decide
0.44Operational2021-08-23
Trinity Hall Solar Farm
European Energy Photovoltaics Limited · CB/21/00437/FULL · 2.7 mo to decide
15Under Construction2021-05-05
Unit B, Chiltern Park Industrial Estate - Solar Panels
Fine Foods International Manufacturing Limited · CB/21/00157/PASP · 1.8 mo to decide
0.37Awaiting Construction2021-03-16
Double Arches Solar Array
Checkley Wood Energy · CB/20/01505/FULL · 6.3 mo to decide
1.9Planning Permission Expired2020-11-27
Chalgrave Manor Solar Farm
R Upchurch & Partners · CB/20/03856/FULL
30Revised2020-11-02
Cranfield Airfield
Cranfield Univsersity · CB/17/04925/FULL · 31.5 mo to decide
1Operational2020-05-28
Flamingo Flowers
Standard Life Investments Property Holdings · CB/19/03775/FULL
0.5Application Withdrawn2020-05-12
Boscombe Road (Unit DC1)
Amazon UK Services / Push Energy · CB/18/02801/FULL
1.3Planning Permission Expired2018-08-29
Vauxhall Motors
Perpetum Sun · CB/15/03550/FULL · 1.5 mo to decide
5Abandoned2015-11-05
Unit DC1 Prologis
Solar Sense · CB/15/03890/LDON · 3.2 mo to decide
1.1Abandoned2015-10-15
Chiltern Green Road
Lightsource Renewable Energy · CB/15/01285/FULL
10Application Withdrawn2015-06-30
Land North of Chiltern Greeen
Lightsource Renewable Energy · CB/15/01204/FULL · 3 mo to decide
5Operational2015-06-26
Caddington Solar Farm (Phase 2)
Emsrayne Limited · CB/14/04064 · 3.4 mo to decide
5Operational2015-02-02
Clayhill Farm
Anesco · CB/14/03419/FULL · 4.9 mo to decide
10Operational2015-01-29
Chalgrave Manor
R C Upchurch & Partners · CB/14/01480/FULL · 5 mo to decide
24.6Abandoned2015-01-27
Manor Farm
Lightsource Renewable Energy · CB/14/03113/FULL · 5.2 mo to decide
5Operational2015-01-23
Tilsworth
A Rosen Invest APS · CB/14/03129/FULL
20.3Application Withdrawn2014-12-02
Faldo Farm
Faldo Solar Farm Ltd · CB/14/02447/FULL · 2.8 mo to decide
10.8Application Refused2014-09-25
Waterloo solar park
Lightsource Renewable Energy · CB/13/03549/FULL · 6.1 mo to decide
14.6Operational2014-04-30
Langford Solar Farm
Lark Energy · CB/13/02288/FULL · 2.9 mo to decide
13Operational2013-09-24
Caddington Solar Farm (Phase 1)
Raybridge Corporation · CB/11/00455/FULL · 3.4 mo to decide
3Operational2011-05-24

Does Central Bedfordshire approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 32 solar farms Central Bedfordshire has decided, 97% were approved (31 granted, 1 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Central Bedfordshire?

The median time from application to decision is 3.2 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 Central Bedfordshire consented?

229 MW has been consented across 31 approved schemes, with 11 MW refused. A further 8 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Central Bedfordshire

Battery storage in Central BedfordshireOnshore wind in Central Bedfordshire

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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