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Renewable planning SolarCharnwood

Solar planning in Charnwood

Charnwood has decided 18 solar farms and approved 94% of them, taking a median of 5.5 months to decide. Consented capacity: 180 MW. 6 applications still awaiting a decision.

94%
Approved
17 granted · 1 refused
5.5 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
180 MW
Consented
5 MW refused
1
Appeals
0 allowed on appeal

How Charnwood compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Charnwood sits in the 38th percentile for approval rate (1 points above the England average) and the 5th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

35Approved — 1 (2012)112Approved — 3 (2015)Refused — 1 (2015)415Approved — 1 (2017)117Approved — 1 (2021)121Approved — 2 (2022)222Approved — 3 (2023)323Approved — 2 (2024)224Approved — 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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (26)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Kernan Drive, Unit 21-22 - Solar Photovoltaic Array
B. I. (Europe) Limited · P/25/1570/2 · 5.5 mo to decide
0.45Awaiting Construction2026-01-13
Sainsburys, Ashby Road - Solar Panels
Sainsburys Supermarkets Limited · P/25/2579/2
0.25Application Submitted2025-12-22
The Manor House, Woodhouse Road - Solar Panels
Private Developer · P/25/2381/2
Application Submitted2025-12-10
Mountsorrel Quarry, Quorn - Solar Photovoltaic Panels
Tarmac Trading Limited · 2025/PN/0171/LCC
0.3Application Submitted2025-12-01
Rothley Lodge, Loughborough Road - Solar Panels
Sofidel UK Limited · P/25/0178/2 · 1.3 mo to decide
1.44Awaiting Construction2025-03-28
Atic Building, Loughborough Science Park - Solar Panels
Loughborough University · P/23/2140/2 · 15.4 mo to decide
0.21Awaiting Construction2025-03-20
Mantle Solar Farm, Wymeswold - Solar Farm
Exagen · P/25/0782/2
49.9Application Submitted2025-01-30
Long Whatton - Solar Farm
Endurance Energy Oakley Limited · P/23/0379/2 · 11.2 mo to decide
49.9Awaiting Construction2024-02-26
The Loughborough Schools Foundation Sports Hall - Solar Pv Arrays
Loughborough Endowed Schools · P/23/2195/2 · 1.5 mo to decide
0.19Awaiting Construction2024-01-22
Kindeva Drug Delivery Limited, Derby Road - Solar Panels
Custom Solar Limited · P/23/1530/2 · 1 mo to decide
0.88Awaiting Construction2023-10-03
Ratcliffe College, Fosse Way - Solar Panels
Ratcliffe College · P/23/0537/2 · 1.5 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2023-06-06
Nottingham Road - Solar Farm
NextPower SPV 9 Limited · P/21/2160/2 · 15.2 mo to decide
34Awaiting Construction2023-03-30
Syston Road - Solar Farm
Barber Farm Partnership · P/21/2661/2 · 6.1 mo to decide
26Under Construction2022-08-12
Apac Packaging, Loughborough Road - Solar Panels
APAC Group Limited · P/22/1333/2
0.9Under Construction2022-08-09
Poole Farm, Quorn - Solar Farm
Leicestershire County Council · 2022/Reg3Ma/0010/LCC · 3.9 mo to decide
10Awaiting Construction2022-06-21
Pool Farm
Leicestershire County Council · 2020/REG3MA/0057/LCC
10Revised2022-02-21
West Beacon Solar Park
Private Developer · P/20/0701/2 · 12.2 mo to decide
0.8Awaiting Construction2021-04-20
Land at Mill Farm
TGC Renewables · P/15/1054/2 · 25.8 mo to decide
7.1Planning Permission Expired2017-08-15
Moor Lane
TGC Renewables · P/15/1056/2
5.8Application Withdrawn2017-04-11
Melton Road
Epsilon Solar · P/15/1510/2 · 3.2 mo to decide
5Abandoned2015-11-13
Gypsom Solar Farm
BE Renewables · P/14/2359/2 · 8.5 mo to decide
5Operational2015-09-22
Land to the East of Burton Lane
EBS Energy LLP · P/14/1723/2 · 11.1 mo to decide
2.6Operational2015-09-21
GDL Wymeswold Solar Farm/land off the A6006
Green Switch Solutions · P/14/1484/2 · 6.2 mo to decide
6.1Operational2015-02-11
Land South of Melton Rd
Epsilon Solar · P/14/2030/2 · 2.2 mo to decide
5Application Refused2015-01-09
Melton Road (PV)
Epsilon Solar · P/14/1140/2 · 2.7 mo to decide
12Revised2014-09-01
Wymeswold Airfield
Foresight Solar Fund · P/12/1781/2 · 2.2 mo to decide
34Operational2012-11-09

Does Charnwood approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 18 solar farms Charnwood has decided, 94% were approved (17 granted, 1 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Charnwood?

The median time from application to decision is 5.5 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 Charnwood consented?

180 MW has been consented across 17 approved schemes, with 5 MW refused. A further 6 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Charnwood

Battery storage in CharnwoodOnshore wind in Charnwood

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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