Renewable planning › Solar › New Forest
Solar planning in New Forest
New Forest has decided 20 solar farms and approved 75% of them, taking a median of 2.2 months to decide. Consented capacity: 67 MW. 2 applications still awaiting a decision.
How New Forest compares
Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, New Forest sits in the 4th percentile for approval rate (18 points below the England average) and the 54th percentile for speed.
Decisions by year
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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (25)
| Scheme | MW | Status | Decided |
|---|---|---|---|
Staplewood Campus, Marchwood - Solar Panels Southampton Training Ground · 25/10641 · 1.2 mo to decide | 0.2 | Awaiting Construction | 2025-08-26 |
Fletchwood Lane, Totton - Solar Park Trant Engineering Limited · 25/00760FULL | 5.26 | Application Submitted | 2025-07-28 |
Walkford Moor Solar Farm, Walkford Lane - Solar Farm Boultbee Brooks (Renewables Costock) Limited · 23/11213 · 7.9 mo to decide | 15 | Awaiting Construction | 2024-08-14 |
Thornlands Farm, Fletchwood Road - Solar Farm Enviromena Asset Management UK Limited · 23/01683FULL · 3.6 mo to decide | 12 | Application Refused | 2024-06-18 |
Pennington Wastewater Treatment Works, Milford Road - Solar panels Southern Water · 24/10306 | 1.28 | Application Submitted | 2024-04-15 |
David Lloyd Leisure Centre, Christchurch Road - Solar PV System David Lloyd Leisure Limited · 23/10496 · 1.8 mo to decide | 0.31 | Awaiting Construction | 2023-09-05 |
Station Mill, Ashford Road - Solar Panels John Loader Limited · 23/10076 · 1.1 mo to decide | 0.22 | Awaiting Construction | 2023-03-15 |
Hoburne Naish, Glenside Naish Estate - Solar panels Hoburne Naish Holiday Park · 23/10056 · 1.2 mo to decide | 0.16 | Application Refused | 2023-02-28 |
Newtown Park House - Energy Centre Newtown Park House · 22/00767FULL · 3 mo to decide | 0.25 | Awaiting Construction | 2023-02-22 |
Morrisons Supermarket, Totton - Solar Photovoltaic System Morrisons · 22/11034 · 1.4 mo to decide | 0.34 | Awaiting Construction | 2022-10-17 |
Hamer Warren Solar Farm Somerley Estate · 20/11073 · 4.1 mo to decide | 23 | Under Construction | 2021-02-03 |
Testwood Water Supply Works Southern Water Services · 16/11007 · 4.9 mo to decide | 1.9 | Operational | 2016-12-12 |
Land South Of Carlton House West Solent Solar Cooperative · 15/00787 · 1.8 mo to decide | 2.2 | Application Refused | 2015-12-23 |
Land South of Bury Road Lightsource Renewable Energy · 15/11153 · 1.9 mo to decide | 4 | Abandoned | 2015-09-30 |
Pennington Recycling Centre Novus Solar Developments · 15/11012 · 2.7 mo to decide | 1.2 | Operational | 2015-09-29 |
Exbury Solar Farm MTS Exbury Solar · 14/01004 · 2.2 mo to decide | 5 | Appeal Refused | 2015-02-17 |
Limolands Farm Solar Array Locogen · 14/00817 · 2.5 mo to decide | 5 | Appeal Refused | 2014-12-17 |
Limolands Farm Locogen · 14/00470 | 5 | Application Withdrawn | 2014-08-15 |
Durley Farm Hive Energy · 14/00361 | 6.7 | Application Withdrawn | 2014-07-04 |
Lower Pennington Farm West Solent Solar Cooperative · 13/11100 · 2.9 mo to decide | 2.7 | Operational | 2013-12-02 |
The Manor of Cadland Estate - extension Manor of Cadland · 13/98465 · 2.6 mo to decide | 3 | Operational | 2013-07-18 |
Office Field Anesco · 12/99313 · 1.9 mo to decide | 7.2 | Operational | 2012-12-11 |
Beckley Solar Farm Anesco · 12/98608 · 1.9 mo to decide | 1.7 | Operational | 2012-06-15 |
Tavells Lane Solar Farm Hive Energy · 12/98402 · 1.9 mo to decide | 5.3 | Operational | 2012-05-08 |
The Manor of Cadland Estate The Manor of Cadland Estate · 11/96086 · 3.8 mo to decide | 5 | Operational | 2011-05-17 |
Does New Forest approve solar farms?
Yes — of the 20 solar farms New Forest has decided, 75% were approved (15 granted, 5 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.
How long does a solar farm application take in New Forest?
The median time from application to decision is 2.2 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 New Forest consented?
67 MW has been consented across 15 approved schemes, with 24 MW refused. A further 2 applications awaits a decision.
Other technologies in New Forest
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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