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Renewable planning SolarWest Berkshire

Solar planning in West Berkshire

West Berkshire has decided 22 solar farms and approved 95% of them, taking a median of 2.8 months to decide. Consented capacity: 99 MW. 5 applications still awaiting a decision.

95%
Approved
21 granted · 1 refused
2.8 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
99 MW
Consented
3 MW refused
2
Appeals
2 allowed on appeal

How West Berkshire compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, West Berkshire sits in the 43rd percentile for approval rate (2 points above the England average) and the 39th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

35Approved — 1 (2012)112Approved — 3 (2014)314Approved — 1 (2016)Refused — 1 (2016)216Approved — 1 (2017)117Approved — 2 (2022)222Approved — 3 (2023)323Approved — 4 (2024)424Approved — 4 (2025)425Approved — 2 (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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (27)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Mary Hare School, Wantage Road - Solar Panels, ASHP & BESS
Mary Hare School · 25/02799/FUL · 1.8 mo to decide
0.16Awaiting Construction2026-02-16
Kennet Secondary School, Stoney Lane - Solar Panels
EEnergy Group plc · 25/02758/PASOL · 1.8 mo to decide
0.3Awaiting Construction2026-01-27
The Downs School - Solar Panels
Solar Options for Schools Limited · 25/01392/FUL · 2.5 mo to decide
0.3Awaiting Construction2025-11-07
Exolum, Silver Lane - Solar PV Array
Exolum Limited · 25/02133/FUL
1.5Application Submitted2025-10-16
Motorway Service Area, Burghfield - Solar Farm
Moto Hospitality Limited · 24/02801/FULMAJ · 5.7 mo to decide
5Awaiting Construction2025-09-19
Hungerford Park - Solar Array
Hungerford Park · 24/02810/FULMAJ · 5.1 mo to decide
2.5Awaiting Construction2025-07-24
Bath Road, Grange Lane - Solar Photovoltaic Array
Grundon Waste Management Limited · 24/01899/FULMAJ · 5.3 mo to decide
12Awaiting Construction2025-03-28
Arlington Business Park, Theale - Roof Mounted Solar panel PV
Vantage Zero Limited · 24/01895/PASOL · 1.8 mo to decide
0.21Awaiting Construction2024-12-02
Motorway Service Area, Burghfield - Solar Farm
Moto Hospitality Limited · 23/02980/FULMAJ
5Revised2024-07-31
Spring Gardens - Solar Farm
Calleva Community Energy Limited · 23/01361/FULMAJ · 11.3 mo to decide
3Awaiting Construction2024-05-29
West Berkshire Community Hospital, Rookes Way - Solar Panels
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust · 23/02850/PASOL · 2.8 mo to decide
0.34Awaiting Construction2024-04-09
Metal Improvement Company Inc, Hambridge Lane - Solar panels
Metal Improvement Company · 23/02744/PASOL · 2.2 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2024-02-16
Hillfields, Burghfield Common - Solar Array
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association · 23/01447/FUL · 4.4 mo to decide
0.42Awaiting Construction2023-11-08
Renegade Brewery, Frilsham - Solar Panels
Yattendon Estates Limited · 23/01150/PASOL · 1.7 mo to decide
0.45Awaiting Construction2023-07-05
Spring Gardens - Solar Farm
Calleva Community Energy Limited · 22/00101/COMIND
2.5Revised2023-06-05
Harrods Distribution Centre, Mill Lane - Solar Array
Private Developer · 22/02986/FULMAJ · 2.6 mo to decide
1.6Awaiting Construction2023-02-24
Bloomfield Hatch Farm - Solar Farm & Battery
Horizon Power & Energy Limited · 22/01330/REG3 · 3.1 mo to decide
25.77Awaiting Construction2022-09-02
Red Shute Mill, Hermitage - Solar Panels
Be Ba Energy · 22/00816/PASOL · 1.6 mo to decide
0.25Awaiting Construction2022-05-23
Sulhamstead Solar Field - Stud Farm
Mulbrick Clean Energy · 15/02148/COMIND · 19.8 mo to decide
5Awaiting Construction2017-04-12
Gravel Works, Wasing Estate
NESF (formerly INRG Solar) · 15/00557/COMIND · 14.7 mo to decide
5Operational2016-06-09
Mazelands Farm
Anesco · 15/02076/COMIND · 7.4 mo to decide
2.8Application Refused2016-04-22
Stud Farm
Mulbrick Cleans Energy · 15/01649/COMIND · 1.2 mo to decide
5Revised2015-08-13
Pingewood Road South
BayWa/ SunGift · 14/01800/COMIND · 2.5 mo to decide
15.8Operational2014-10-09
Hadley Farm (Orta Membury Solar Farm)
Foresight Solar · 14/00385/COMIND · 3.1 mo to decide
17Operational2014-05-27
Pierces Farm
NextEnergy Capital · 13/03187/COMIND · 2.8 mo to decide
1.7Operational2014-03-19
Pierces Farm
Private Developer · 13/01675/COMIND
1.5Revised2014-01-11
Limberlost Farm
Anesco · 12/02253/COMIND · 3 mo to decide
1.5Operational2012-12-14

Does West Berkshire approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 22 solar farms West Berkshire has decided, 95% were approved (21 granted, 1 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in West Berkshire?

The median time from application to decision is 2.8 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 West Berkshire consented?

99 MW has been consented across 21 approved schemes, with 3 MW refused. A further 5 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in West Berkshire

Battery storage in West BerkshireOnshore wind in West Berkshire

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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