Novarly ParcelRenewable planning

Renewable planning SolarNorthumberland

Solar planning in Northumberland

Northumberland has decided 31 solar farms and approved 100% of them, taking a median of 1.9 months to decide. Consented capacity: 178 MW. 9 applications still awaiting a decision.

100%
Approved
31 granted · 0 refused
1.9 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
178 MW
Consented
across approved schemes
2
Appeals
1 allowed on appeal

How Northumberland compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Northumberland sits in the 77th percentile for approval rate (7 points above the England average) and the 62nd percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

1020Approved — 1 (2021)121Approved — 2 (2022)222Approved — 16 (2023)1623Approved — 5 (2024)524Approved — 7 (2025)725
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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (41)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Northgate Hospital, Adult Autism Unit - Solar Panels
NTW · 26/00667/SOLAR
0.37Application Submitted2026-02-24
Acomb Village, Acomb - Solar Panels
Acomb Parish Council · 24/01483/FUL · 19.2 mo to decide
0.99Awaiting Construction2025-12-15
Bede Academy North, Sixth Avenue - Solar PV Panels
Emmanuel Schools Foundation · 25/03703/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.45Awaiting Construction2025-12-09
Seghill Household Waste Recovery Centre -Solar Panels
Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Limited · 25/04321/RENE
5.8Application Submitted2025-12-08
Seghill Household Waste Recovery Centre - Solar Panels
Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Limited · 25/04321/RENE
5.8Application Submitted2025-12-08
Lynx Precast, Lynefield Park - Solar PV Panels
Lynx Precast Limited · 25/03670/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.49Awaiting Construction2025-12-08
Blyth Academy, Chase Farm Drive - Solar Panels
Solar Options for Schools Limited · 25/03632/SOLAR · 1.3 mo to decide
0.61Awaiting Construction2025-11-21
Fourstones - Solar Park
Mespil Solar Energy · 25/02869/RENE
49.9Application Submitted2025-08-15
Highfield Energy Park
Exagen · 23/01717/FUL · 26.4 mo to decide
40Appeal Lodged2025-08-12
Ponteland Leisure Centre, Callerton Lane - Solar Panels
Northumberland County Council · 25/00754/SOLAR · 1.9 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2025-05-30
Fourstones Substation, Fourstones - Solar Farm & Battery Energy Storage
ER New Projects 2 Limited · 25/01494/RENEIA
32Application Submitted2025-05-14
West Chevington Farm, West Chevington - Solar PV Panels
Genesis One Limited · 23/04531/RENE · 15.7 mo to decide
0.3Awaiting Construction2025-04-11
Moorland Way - Solar Panels
George Smith Limited · 25/00337/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2025-03-24
Ashington Leisure Centre - Solar Panels
Places for People Leisure · 24/03692/SOLAR · 1.4 mo to decide
0.22Awaiting Construction2024-12-10
Piramal Healthcare, Whalton Road - Solar Farm
Centrica Plc · 23/03856/RENE · 7.7 mo to decide
4.3Awaiting Construction2024-06-25
Renolit Cramlington Limited, Station Road - Solar Panels
Renolit Cramlington Limited · 24/01499/SOLAR · 1.2 mo to decide
1Awaiting Construction2024-06-14
Sainsburys Store, Willowburn Avenue - Solar PV Systems
Sainsburys Supermarkets Limited · 24/00503/SOLAR · 1.1 mo to decide
0.34Awaiting Construction2024-03-20
Coastal Grains, Station Road - Solar Array
Coastal Grains Limited · 23/03446/RENE · 3.7 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2024-01-11
Dobbies Garden Centre, Heighley Gate - Solar Panels
Heighley Gate Garden Centre · 23/03749/SOLAR · 1.7 mo to decide
0.15Awaiting Construction2023-11-27
Quotient Sciences, Taylor Drive - Solar PV Panel Array
The Duke of Northumberland Estate · 22/03576/RENE · 12.7 mo to decide
4Awaiting Construction2023-11-09
Broadway House Farm Solar Farm
Bluefield Renewable Developments Limited · 23/02205/RENE · 4.6 mo to decide
49.99Awaiting Construction2023-11-08
Wooperton Station, Wooperton - Solar Farm
A&J Scott · 23/00545/RENE · 7.6 mo to decide
5.56Under Construction2023-10-05
Salem Tubes, Regents Drive - Solar PV Equipment
Unknown · 23/02803/SOLAR · 1.6 mo to decide
0.34Awaiting Construction2023-09-14
Castle Hills Farm, Castle Hills - Solar Panels
D And S Macpherson · 23/02624/FUL · 1.7 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2023-09-13
Halfway House, Lincoln Hill - Solar Array
Humshaugh Net Zero · 22/03978/FUL · 7.3 mo to decide
1Awaiting Construction2023-07-14
West Chevington Farm, West Chevington - Solar PV Panels
Genesis One Limited · 23/01183/RENE · 1.9 mo to decide
0.3Revised2023-07-07
Factory C, Coniston Road - Roof repairs & PV Array
Burberry Limited · 23/02204/SOLAR
Application Submitted2023-06-23
King Edward Vi School, Cottingwood Lane - Solar Panels
The Three Rivers Trust · 23/01404/SOLAR · 1.6 mo to decide
0.27Awaiting Construction2023-06-15
Berwick Holiday Centre, Magdalen Fields - Solar Panels
Bourne Leisure Limited · 23/00788/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.36Awaiting Construction2023-05-03
Ponteland Community Primary School, Callerton Lane - Solar Panels
Ponteland Academy · 23/00430/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.47Awaiting Construction2023-03-31
American Air Filter, Bassington Lane - Solar Panels
American Air Filters · 23/00431/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.6Awaiting Construction2023-03-31
Browns 2000, Colbourne Avenue - Solar Panels
Private Developer · 23/00267/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.99Awaiting Construction2023-03-21
Ellington South Site, Lynemouth Solar Array
The Coal Authority · 21/01380/FUL · 23.4 mo to decide
1.2Awaiting Construction2023-03-20
County Hall, Loansdean - Solar Array
Northumberland County Council · 22/04405/CCD · 2.2 mo to decide
0.8Operational2023-02-17
Advanced Composite Engineering, Colbourne Avenue - Solar Panels
Advanced Composite Engineering · 22/04610/SOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.22Awaiting Construction2023-02-03
Station Sawmills, Powburn - Solar Panels
A & J Scott Limited · 22/04406/SOLAR · 2.2 mo to decide
0.91Awaiting Construction2023-01-30
Burnt House Farm - Solar Farm
Bluefield Renewable Developments Limited · 22/01082/RENE · 6.4 mo to decide
49.99Awaiting Construction2022-11-04
Low Horton Farm - Solar Farm
Bluefield Renewable Developments Limited · 22/01153/RENE · 6.4 mo to decide
49.99Awaiting Construction2022-11-04
Middle Mousen - Solar Array
Mousen Limited · 22/03026/FUL
0.5Application Submitted2022-09-13
Blyth Sewage Treatment Works
Northumbrian Water Limited Head Office · 20/03455/CLPROP · 2.3 mo to decide
2.3Operational2021-01-13
New Moor Shaft
Northumberland County Council · 15/02357/CCD · 1.4 mo to decide
4.2Abandoned2015-09-02

Does Northumberland approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 31 solar farms Northumberland has decided, 100% were approved (31 granted, 0 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Northumberland?

The median time from application to decision is 1.9 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 Northumberland consented?

178 MW has been consented across 31 approved schemes. A further 9 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Northumberland

Battery storage in NorthumberlandOnshore wind in Northumberland

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.

Novarly Parcel · official public data, read properly · parcel.novarly.com

Screen a specific site here · All authorities · UK property report