Novarly ParcelRenewable planning

Renewable planning SolarWestmorland and Furness

Solar planning in Westmorland and Furness

Westmorland and Furness has decided 39 solar farms and approved 85% of them, taking a median of 3.8 months to decide. Consented capacity: 59 MW. 6 applications still awaiting a decision.

85%
Approved
33 granted · 6 refused
3.8 mo
Median decision
UK 2.3 mo
59 MW
Consented
62 MW refused
8
Appeals
7 allowed on appeal

How Westmorland and Furness compares

Against the 298 UK authorities with 5+ solar decisions, Westmorland and Furness sits in the 15th percentile for approval rate (8 points below the England average) and the 17th percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

510Approved — 1 (2014)114Approved — 2 (2015)Refused — 3 (2015)515Approved — 5 (2016)Refused — 2 (2016)716Approved — 3 (2021)321Approved — 2 (2022)222Approved — 8 (2023)823Approved — 3 (2024)324Approved — 5 (2025)525Approved — 2 (2026)Refused — 1 (2026)326
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 Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.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 (52)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Trainriggs Shap - Solar Farm & Battery Storage
Abei Energy Limited · 2024/2358/FPA · 13.8 mo to decide
37Application Refused2026-02-06
Raine House, Raughton Head - Solar Panels
Private Developer · 2025/2364/PASOLAR · 11.7 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2026-01-30
Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, Christian Head - Solar Panels
Cumbria Education Trust · 2025/2238/PASOLAR · 1.8 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2026-01-14
Roxane UK, Armathwaite - Solar Array & Battery Storage
Roxane UK Limited · 2025/1585/FPA
5Application Submitted2025-08-19
Barrow Leisure Centre, Greengate Street - Solar Panels
Westmorland & Furness Council · BPAB/2025/0209 · 2.9 mo to decide
0.43Awaiting Construction2025-08-12
Devonshire Square, Calthwaite - Solar Farm
Westmorland & Furness Council · 2025/1267/FPA
30Application Submitted2025-07-15
Sewborwens Farmhouse, Newton Road - Solar Panels
Leo Sawrij Limited · 2025/0438/PASOLAR · 1.3 mo to decide
0.2Awaiting Construction2025-04-16
Penrith Leisure Centre - Solar Panels
Westmorland & Furness Council · 2025/0227/PASOLAR · 1.9 mo to decide
0.15Awaiting Construction2025-04-07
Greengill Foot, Inglewood Road - Solar Arrays
A J Forsters Limited · 2024/1002/FPA · 3.6 mo to decide
0.18Awaiting Construction2025-03-11
Beaver Lodge, Salkeld Road - Solar Panels
A J Forsters Limited · 2024/1063/FPA · 3.6 mo to decide
0.36Awaiting Construction2025-03-11
Cavendish Dock Road - Solar Array
Associated British Ports · B03/2025/0085
40Application Submitted2025-03-05
Bleabeck - Solar Farm
Noventum Power Limited · B03/2024/0551
10Application Submitted2025-02-20
Bleabeck Solar Farm, Lots Road - Solar Farm
Noventum Power Limited · �B03/2024/0551
10Application Submitted2025-02-20
Westmorland Motorway Services, Tebay - Solar Array
Westmorland Family Limited · 2024/2187/FPA
1.25Application Submitted2024-11-18
Wm Morrison Supermarkets, The Strand - PV equipment
Gondola Pro · BPA8/2024/0195 · 1.6 mo to decide
0.58Awaiting Construction2024-05-14
White Gate Caravan Park, Long Marton - Solar Panels
White Gate Caravan Park · 2024/0398/FPA · 2 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2024-05-08
North James Cropper, Garnett Bridge Road - Solar Array
Ellergreen Hydro · SL/2022/1159 · 12.5 mo to decide
3Awaiting Construction2024-01-17
JJC Waste Management, Sandscale Park - Solar Panels
JJC Waste Management · B18/2023/0393 · 1.6 mo to decide
0.73Awaiting Construction2023-07-27
Silver Howe, Flusco - Solar Array, Wind Turbines Battery Storage
Leisure Resorts · 22/0676 · 8.5 mo to decide
1.85Awaiting Construction2023-05-19
Omega Proteins - Solar Farm & Battery Storage
Leo Group Limited · 21/0752 · 21.1 mo to decide
2.5Awaiting Construction2023-05-19
Lakeland Leisure Park, Moor Lane - Solar Photovoltaics Equipment
Bourne Leisure Limited · PN/2023/0015 · 1.7 mo to decide
0.27Awaiting Construction2023-04-14
Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale - Solar Panels
Lunesdale Learning Trust · SL/2022/1141 · 3.2 mo to decide
0.19Awaiting Construction2023-03-22
Low Wood Hotel - Solar Panels
English Lakes Hotels Limited · 7/2022/5788 · 2.5 mo to decide
0.16Awaiting Construction2023-03-09
Sandscale Park - Solar Array
Cumbria County Council · 6/22/9003 · 3.8 mo to decide
2Awaiting Construction2023-03-03
Dova Way, Barrow Island - Solar Array
Cumbria County Council · B28/2022/9004 · 3.8 mo to decide
2Awaiting Construction2023-03-03
Bells Of Lazonby, Edenholme Bakery - Solar Panels
Bells of Lazonby · 22/0671 · 1.8 mo to decide
0.63Operational2022-11-14
North Road - Roof Mounted Solar Arrays
Barrow Borough Council · B18/2021/1001 · 1.2 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2022-01-24
Burneside Mill Solar Array - Phase 3
Burenside Community Energy Limited · PN/2021/0031 · 0.8 mo to decide
0.3Operational2021-04-30
Burneside Mill, Burneside
Burenside Community Energy Limited · SL/2021/0107 · 2.8 mo to decide
1Operational2021-04-30
South Stilling Tanks Solar Farm
Ellergreen Energy · SL/2020/0391 · 7.2 mo to decide
0.5Operational2021-04-14
James Cropper Effluent Plant
Ellergreen Estate · SL/2019/1027
1Application Withdrawn2020-01-21
Land at Skelton Radio Transmitter Site
New Energy for the World · 15/0907
5Application Withdrawn2017-04-12
Land To The South Of Dallan Bank Wood
Lightsource Renewable Energy · 15/0663 · 17.4 mo to decide
4.9Abandoned2017-01-25
Towcett Farm
Lightsource Renewable Energy · 15/0644 · 17.7 mo to decide
4.9Abandoned2017-01-25
Graham Wood
Lightsource Renewable Energy · 15/0666 · 17.4 mo to decide
4.9Abandoned2017-01-25
Town End Farm
RALOS New Energy · 15/0658 · 13.9 mo to decide
5Planning Permission Expired2016-10-11
Moss Thorn Farm
TGC Renewables · 15/0459 · 16.5 mo to decide
5.8Operational2016-10-11
Land at Wreay
Anesco · 15/0653 · 12.2 mo to decide
5Operational2016-08-04
Orton Solar Farm
New Energy for the World · 15/0667 · 9.9 mo to decide
5Application Refused2016-06-09
Bowscar
Psi Solar · 15/0657 · 10 mo to decide
5Planning Permission Expired2016-06-07
Long Marton
New Energy for the World · 15/0908 · 4.6 mo to decide
5Application Refused2016-02-24
Sowerby Lodge
Sowerby Solar Solar Ltd · B03/2015/0614 · 11 mo to decide
4.2Planning Permission Expired2016-02-08
Hill Solar Farm
New Energy for the World · B06/2015/0532
5Application Withdrawn2016-01-21
Weltree Brow
Livos Energy · 15/0668 · 4 mo to decide
5Appeal Refused2015-12-17
Whitestone Solar Farm
New Energy for the World · 15/0665 · 4 mo to decide
5Application Refused2015-12-17
Sandwath Farm
TGC Renewables · 15/0461
5.5Application Withdrawn2015-12-10
Greaves Solar Farm
New Energy for the World · SL/2015/0694 · 2.3 mo to decide
5Operational2015-11-03
Land at Lane Head
Omicron Solar · SL/2015/0693 · 3.1 mo to decide
5Application Refused2015-10-29
Sowerby Lodge Farm
Gamma Solar Limited · B03/2014/0643 · 4.2 mo to decide
5Operational2015-02-13
Roanhead Farm
Fengate Capital · B03/2014/0473 · 2.6 mo to decide
6.5Operational2014-09-25
Murley Moss - Additional Solar Design And Build
Lake District National Park
Under Construction
Burneside Mill
Community Energy Cumbria · SL/2018/0855
0.5Operational

Does Westmorland and Furness approve solar farms?

Yes — of the 39 solar farms Westmorland and Furness has decided, 85% were approved (33 granted, 6 refused). The UK-wide rate for solar is 93%.

How long does a solar farm application take in Westmorland and Furness?

The median time from application to decision is 3.8 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 Westmorland and Furness consented?

59 MW has been consented across 33 approved schemes, with 62 MW refused. A further 6 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in Westmorland and Furness

Battery storage in Westmorland and FurnessOnshore wind in Westmorland and Furness

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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