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Renewable planning › Solar › Cumberland

Solar planning in Cumberland

Cumberland has decided 28 solar farms and approved 93% of them, taking a median of 2.9 months to decide. Consented capacity: 125 MW. 4 applications still awaiting a decision.

93%
Approved
26 granted · 2 refused
2.9 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
125 MW
Consented
10 MW refused
3
Appeals
1 allowed on appeal

How Cumberland compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Cumberland sits in the 35th percentile for approval rate (level with the England average) and the 36th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

510Approved — 1 (2014)114Approved — 3 (2015)Refused — 1 (2015)415Approved — 2 (2016)Refused — 1 (2016)316Approved — 2 (2021)221Approved — 6 (2022)622Approved — 3 (2023)323Approved — 4 (2024)424Approved — 3 (2025)325Approved — 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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (35)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
The Carleton Clinic, Cumwhinton Drive - Solar Panels
The Carleton Clinic · 26/0001/SOL
0.27Application Submitted2026-02-24
Whitehaven Academy - Solar Panels
The Whitehaven Academy · 4/25/2396/0F1 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.21Awaiting Construction2026-01-19
Mercedes-Benz Of Carlisle, Spellar Way - Solar Panels
Sytner Group Limited · 25/0002/SOL · 1.8 mo to decide
0.19Awaiting Construction2025-12-22
Ewanrigg Farmhouse, Ewanrigg - Solar Farm
Anesco Limited · FUL/2025/0080
13Application Submitted2025-06-03
J Dixon And Sons, Lowther Street - Solar Panels
J Dixon and Son Limited · 4/25/2074/0F1 · 1.6 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2025-04-17
Griffin Park Tactical Training Facility - Solar Panels
Griffin Park Tactical Training Facility · 4/24/2368/0F1 · 3.7 mo to decide
0.42Awaiting Construction2025-02-18
Hespin Wood Materials Recovery Facility, Wavell Drive - Solar Panels
Cumbria Waste Management Limited · 2596899 · 1.4 mo to decide
—Awaiting Construction2024-11-21
Distington Materials Recycling Facility, Pittwood Road - Solar PV Panels
Cumbria Waste Management Limited · 2594738 · 1.3 mo to decide
—Awaiting Construction2024-11-18
Workington Leisure Centre, Griffin Street - Solar Panls
Cumberland Council (Cumbria County Council) · REJ/2024/0003 · 1.3 mo to decide
0.17Awaiting Construction2024-11-06
Brocklebank, Reathwaite Farm - Solar Photovoltaic Panels
Renewable Energy Management · REJ/2024/0002 · 1.3 mo to decide
0.68Awaiting Construction2024-04-09
Leaps Rigg - Solar Farm
Opdenergy UK 7 Limited · 23/0415 · 3.3 mo to decide
49.9Awaiting Construction2023-09-28
M Sport, Dovenby Hall Estate - Solar Panels
M-Sport Limited · REJ/2023/0002 · 0.7 mo to decide
0.8Operational2023-02-13
A Steadman And Son, Warnell - Solar Panels
A Steadman & Son Limited · REJ/2022/0008 · 1.1 mo to decide
0.46Awaiting Construction2023-01-09
Blackwood Road, Lillyhall - Solar Panels
Energus Blackwood · REJ/2022/0004 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2022-08-08
High Parkfoot Farm
Elgin Energy · 18/0197 · 52.3 mo to decide
20Awaiting Construction2022-07-21
Pow Motey, Langrigg - Solar Panels & Batteries Storage
J W Gate & Son · REJ/2022/0003 · 1.2 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2022-06-11
James Walker And Co - Solar panels
James Walker & Co Limited · REJ/2022/0001 · 1.9 mo to decide
0.51Awaiting Construction2022-04-29
Curwen Road - Solar Panels
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) · CLDP/2022/0004
0.22Application Submitted2022-03-03
Kingmoor Park Solar Farm Extension
Push Energy · 21/0826 · 5.4 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2022-02-17
North Lane, Haverigg - Solar Photovoltaic System
Her Majestys Prison & Probation Service · 4/21/2523/0E1 · 1.9 mo to decide
0.19Awaiting Construction2022-01-26
Maryport Sea Cadet Corps - Solar Panels
Private Developer · REJ/2021/0001 · 3 mo to decide
—Awaiting Construction2021-04-22
M-Sport Limited
M-Sport Limited · FUL/2021/0050 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2021-04-15
Low Luckens - Ground Mounted Solar Photovoltaic System
Private Developer · 21/0037
—Application Submitted2021-01-21
Kingmoor Park
Push Energy / Kingmoor Park · 19/0391
5Operational2019-05-16
Yeorton Hall Farm
Green Energy UK Direct · 4/15/2377/0F1 · 8.7 mo to decide
5Planning Permission Expired2016-05-24
West Newton
New Energy for the World · 2/2015/0620 · 5.4 mo to decide
5Application Refused2016-03-22
Moorhouse Farm
Solar Park Developments · 2/2014/0899 · 15.1 mo to decide
5Operational2016-03-21
Blackdyke Farm
New Energy for the World · 15/0688 · 4.5 mo to decide
7.7Abandoned2016-01-08
St Helen's Lane
UK Sustainable Energy · 2/2015/0593 · 3 mo to decide
5Operational2015-12-21
Heathlands
Lightsource Renewable Energy · 15/0687 · 2.8 mo to decide
5Abandoned2015-11-27
Land west of Welton Road
Lightsource Renewable Energy · 15/0630 · 3.7 mo to decide
4.4Operational2015-10-23
Cleator Solar Park
Cleator Solar Park · 4/14/2336/0F1 · 14 mo to decide
5Appeal Refused2015-10-01
Land between Orton Park Farm
INRG Solar · 15/0405 · 4.4 mo to decide
6.4Operational2015-09-23
Wharrels Hill
Green Switch Solutions · 2/2014/0636 · 10.5 mo to decide
14.6Appeal Withdrawn2015-07-09
Aspatria
United Photovoltaics · 2/2014/0468 · 4.6 mo to decide
19Operational2014-11-18

Does Cumberland approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 28 solar farms Cumberland has decided, 93% were approved (26 granted, 2 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Cumberland?

The median time from application to decision is 2.9 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 Cumberland consented?

125 MW has been consented across 26 approved schemes, with 10 MW refused. A further 4 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Cumberland

Battery storage in CumberlandOnshore wind in Cumberland

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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