Renewable energy projects in Braintree
42 solar, wind or battery projects of 150 kW or more are located in Braintree (REPD, July 2026 extract): 5 pending, 24 approved but not running, 9 operational and 1 refused. The council refused 3 of 34 decided applications (9%; UK 19%), with a median 16 weeks from submission to decision.
42projects in the council area
5awaiting a decision
24approved, not running
9%of decisions refused
How Braintree decides
| Applications | Braintree | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 34 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 3 (9%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 25 | 12% |
| Battery storage refused | 0 of 9 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 15.9 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 2 / 2 | — |
Projects in Braintree
Projects of 1 MW and more (20)
| Project | Type | MW | Status (REPD) | Submitted | Decision | Record updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braintree Road, Cressingbattery storage | battery storage | 57 | under constructionupdated Mar 2026 | Aug 2022 | granted Sep 2023 | Mar 2026 |
| Cutbush Farm, Belchamp St Paulsolar farm | solar farm | 50 | under constructionupdated Oct 2025 | May 2023 | granted Dec 2024 | Oct 2025 |
| Felsted School Road Solar Photovoltaic Farm & Battery storagesolar farm | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not builtupdated Sep 2023 | Jan 2021 | granted Sep 2023 | Sep 2023 |
| Surmer Hall, Church Walk Solar Farm & Battery Storagesolar farm | solar farm | 36 | approved, not builtupdated Feb 2026 | Nov 2023 | granted Dec 2024 | Feb 2026 |
| Periwinkle Hall - Links Solar photovoltaic farm & Battery storagesolar farm | solar farm | 35 | operationalupdated Oct 2024 | Jun 2021 | granted Dec 2021 | Oct 2024 |
| Cressing East Solar Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 24.9 | approved, not builtupdated Feb 2026 | Oct 2023 | granted Mar 2025 | Feb 2026 |
| Pentlow Hillsolar farm | solar farm | 24 | operationalupdated Jul 2024 | Jul 2020 | granted Apr 2021 | Jul 2024 |
| Park Road Solar Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 22.5 | approved, not builtupdated Mar 2026 | Jan 2022 | granted Dec 2023 | Mar 2026 |
| Kentish Farm 2battery storage | battery storage | 22.5 | application submittedupdated Aug 2025 | Jul 2025 | — | Aug 2025 |
| Surmer Hall, Church Walk Solar Farm & Battery Storagebattery storage | battery storage | 22 | approved, not builtupdated Feb 2026 | Nov 2023 | granted Dec 2024 | Feb 2026 |
| Claredown Farmbattery storage | battery storage | 20 | operationalupdated Nov 2019 | Apr 2017 | granted Aug 2017 | Nov 2019 |
| Cressing Solar Farm (Phase 2)solar farm | solar farm | 18 | abandonedupdated Aug 2018 | Jul 2015 | granted Nov 2015 | Aug 2018 |
| Kentish Farm 2 Solar Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 16.5 | application submittedupdated Aug 2025 | Jul 2025 | — | Aug 2025 |
| Skye Green Solar Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 15 | approved, not builtupdated Feb 2026 | Dec 2024 | granted Apr 2025 | Feb 2026 |
| Cressing Farm, Witham Road Solar Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 13.8 | approved, not builtupdated Feb 2026 | Jan 2025 | granted Jun 2025 | Feb 2026 |
| Gosfield Airfieldsolar farm | solar farm | 12.6 | operationalupdated Mar 2015 | Dec 2013 | granted Apr 2014 | Mar 2015 |
| Slamseys Energy Storagebattery storage | battery storage | 10 | under constructionupdated Jan 2020 | Jul 2017 | granted Sep 2017 | Jan 2020 |
| Big Deere Lodgesolar | solar | 6 | refusedupdated Apr 2014 | Aug 2013 | refused Apr 2014 | Apr 2014 |
| Kentishes Solar Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 5 | operationalupdated Apr 2017 | Nov 2014 | granted Apr 2016 | Apr 2017 |
| Cressing Solar Farm (Phase 1)solar farm | solar farm | 5 | operationalupdated Apr 2017 | Jul 2015 | granted Nov 2015 | Apr 2017 |
Smaller schemes under 1 MW, mostly rooftop solar (22)
| Project | Type | MW | Status (REPD) | Submitted | Decision | Record updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braintree Village, Charter Wayrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.4 | approved, not builtupdated Jul 2025 | May 2025 | granted Jun 2025 | Jul 2025 |
| Four Elms, Bardfield Roadsolar farm | solar farm | 0.3 | approved, not built may be out of dateupdated Jan 2023 | Nov 2022 | granted Jan 2023 | Jan 2023 |
| Colemans Farmsolar farm | solar farm | 0.3 | application submitted may be out of dateupdated May 2019 | May 2019 | — | May 2019 |
| Motus Trucks and Vans, Griggs Wayrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.3 | approved, not builtupdated Feb 2023 | Dec 2022 | granted Feb 2023 | Feb 2023 |
| The Essex Golf/Leisure Club, The Airfield Earlsrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Oct 2023 | Aug 2023 | granted Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 |
| Cego Limited, Crittall Roadrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated May 2024 | Mar 2024 | granted Apr 2024 | May 2024 |
| Sewage Pumping Station, Worlds End Lanebattery storage | battery storage | 0.2 | application submittedupdated Sep 2024 | Sep 2024 | — | Sep 2024 |
| Hole Farm, Knowl Greenrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Jan 2025 | Oct 2024 | granted Dec 2024 | Jan 2025 |
| London Road, Great Notley - Micro Energy Storagebattery storage | battery storage | 0.2 | application withdrawnupdated Nov 2025 | May 2025 | — | Nov 2025 |
| Enterprise Drive, Springwood Drive - Batter Energy Storagebattery storage | battery storage | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Jul 2025 | May 2025 | granted Jul 2025 | Jul 2025 |
| Verge By Ricksones School, Rickstones Road - Micro Energy Storagebattery storage | battery storage | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Nov 2025 | May 2025 | granted Jul 2025 | Nov 2025 |
| Pods Brook Road Battery Distributionbattery storage | battery storage | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated May 2026 | Dec 2025 | granted Mar 2026 | May 2026 |
| Spinks Lane - Micro Energy Facilitybattery storage | battery storage | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Jun 2026 | Mar 2026 | granted May 2026 | Jun 2026 |
| Morrisons Withamrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | operationalupdated Nov 2021 | Nov 2021 | granted Mar 2023 | Nov 2021 |
| Jack Arnold, Lancaster Wayrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | application submitted | Jun 2026 | — | — |
| Four Elms Solar Arraysolar farm | solar farm | 0.2 | operationalupdated Jan 2021 | Oct 2020 | granted Feb 2021 | Jan 2021 |
| Howbridge Junior School, Dengie Closerooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Aug 2023 | Jun 2023 | granted Aug 2023 | Aug 2023 |
| Hedingham School, Christmas Fieldrooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.2 | approved, not builtupdated Apr 2024 | Feb 2024 | granted Mar 2024 | Apr 2024 |
| Antislip Antiwear Treads International, Swinbourne Driverooftop solar | rooftop solar | 0.1 | approved, not builtupdated Oct 2023 | Aug 2023 | granted Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 |
| Kentishes West, Essexbattery storage | battery storage | — | permission expiredupdated Feb 2020 | Sep 2016 | — | Feb 2020 |
| Felsted School Road Solar Photovoltaic Farm & Battery storagebattery storage | battery storage | — | approved, not builtupdated Sep 2023 | Jan 2021 | granted Sep 2023 | Sep 2023 |
| Periwinkle Hall - Links Solar photovoltaic farm & Battery storagebattery storage | battery storage | — | operationalupdated Oct 2024 | Jun 2021 | granted Dec 2021 | Oct 2024 |
Postcode districts in Braintree
| District | Projects within 10 km | Pending | Approved | Operational |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM7 | 25 | 2 | 12 | 8 |
| CM8 | 30 | 2 | 17 | 7 |
| CM77 | 32 | 4 | 18 | 7 |
| CO8 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| CO9 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
32% of applications still shown as pending in REPD were submitted more than two years ago, and only 37% of pending records were updated in the last 12 months, so some of them may already have been decided. Projects belong to Braintree by location (nearest postcode to the REPD grid reference); decisions are counted by the planning authority named in REPD.