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Renewable planning SolarSheffield

Solar planning in Sheffield

Sheffield has decided 20 solar farms and approved 85% of them, taking a median of 1.8 months to decide. Consented capacity: 12 MW. 3 applications still awaiting a decision.

85%
Approved
17 granted · 3 refused
1.8 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
12 MW
Consented
1 MW refused
0
Appeals
no appeals recorded

How Sheffield compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Sheffield sits in the 15th percentile for approval rate (8 points below the England average) and the 74th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

510Approved — 4 (2022)422Approved — 5 (2023)Refused — 2 (2023)723Approved — 3 (2024)324Approved — 4 (2025)425Approved — 1 (2026)Refused — 1 (2026)226
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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (23)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Woolley Wood School, Chaucer Road - Solar Panels
Solar Options for Schools Limited · 26/00361/PVPN
0.19Application Submitted2026-02-20
The Food Warehouse, Meadowhall Retail Park - Solar Panels
Ashcroft Electrical Services Limited · 25/03744/PVPN · 1.7 mo to decide
0.16Awaiting Construction2026-02-12
Jepson And Company, East Bank Road - Solar Panels
Jepson & Company · 25/03633/PVPN · 1.7 mo to decide
Application Refused2026-01-29
Sytner BMW Sheffield, Brightside Way - Solar Panels
Sytner Group Limited · 25/03219/PVPN · 1.6 mo to decide
1.03Awaiting Construction2025-12-15
Welbilt UK, Nether Lane - Solar Panels
Ashcroft Electrical Services · 25/02757/PVPN · 1.8 mo to decide
0.68Awaiting Construction2025-11-12
Meadowhall Centre, Meadowhall Way - Solar Panels
Meadowhall Nominee 1 and 2 Limited · 25/02595/FUL · 1.8 mo to decide
0.39Awaiting Construction2025-10-27
Taj Foods, Roman Ridge Road - Solar Panels
Taj Foods · 25/01283/PVPN · 1.7 mo to decide
0.39Awaiting Construction2025-06-20
Northern General Hospital, Herries Road - Solar Panels
Porter Electrical Limited · 24/01830/PVPN · 1.7 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2024-08-12
Sainsburys Supermarkets - Solar PV Array
Sainsburys Supermarkets Limited · 24/02277/PVPN
0.35Application Submitted2024-08-02
Jessops Riverside, Brightside Lane - Solar Panels
Ecovision · 24/00262/PVPN · 1.3 mo to decide
0.39Awaiting Construction2024-03-19
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road - Solar Panels
Porter Electrical Limited · 23/04055/PVPN · 1.8 mo to decide
0.19Awaiting Construction2024-02-14
Fletchers Bakeries Limited, Clay Wheels Lane - Solar Panels
FFG Energy Centres Limited · 23/02475/PVPN
0.6Application Submitted2023-08-10
Parkwood Academy, Longley Avenue West - Solar Panels
E-ACT · 23/02162/PVPN · 1.2 mo to decide
0.18Application Refused2023-08-10
Shepcote Lane - Solar Photovoltaic Panels
Peel Logistics Property · 23/01684/FUL · 2.3 mo to decide
4.29Awaiting Construction2023-08-04
Loxley Waste Water Treatment Work,Storrs Bridge Lane - Solar Panels
Downing Renewable Developments · 23/01792/LD2 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.56Application Refused2023-08-01
Special Melted Products, Atlas Works - Solar PV Panels
Special Melted Products Limited · 22/04400/PVPN · 4.1 mo to decide
0.3Awaiting Construction2023-04-25
Special Melted Products, President Way Works - Solar Panels
Special Melted Products Limited · 23/00253/PVPN · 1.8 mo to decide
0.99Awaiting Construction2023-03-23
Vodafone Telephone Exchange, Europa Drive - Solar Panels
Vodafone · 22/04535/PVPN · 1.4 mo to decide
0.27Awaiting Construction2023-03-15
Clipper Logistics, Shepcote Lane - Solar Panels
Logicor · 22/04136/FUL · 1.7 mo to decide
1.08Awaiting Construction2023-01-05
Fletchers Bakeries, Clay Wheels Lane - Solar Array
On Site Energy Limited · 22/02070/FUL · 5.6 mo to decide
0.65Awaiting Construction2022-12-23
The Big Yellow Self Storage, Penistone Road - Solar Panels
Big Yellow Group Plc · 22/03374/PVPN · 1.8 mo to decide
0.16Awaiting Construction2022-11-07
The Big Yellow Self Storage, Queens Road - Solar Panels
Big Yellow Group Plc · 22/03093/PVPN · 2.5 mo to decide
0.15Awaiting Construction2022-11-04
Broughton Lane - Solar PV Panels
Hollywood Bowl Group · 21/05200/PVPN · 1.6 mo to decide
0.28Awaiting Construction2022-02-04

Does Sheffield approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 20 solar farms Sheffield has decided, 85% were approved (17 granted, 3 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Sheffield?

The median time from application to decision is 1.8 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 Sheffield consented?

12 MW has been consented across 17 approved schemes, with 1 MW refused. A further 3 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Sheffield

Battery storage in SheffieldOnshore wind in Sheffield

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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