Benridge Farm, Fillpoke Lane (48 MW solar farm)
Benridge Farm, Fillpoke Lane is a 48 MW solar farm project in County Durham, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: application submitted on 18 July 2025, no decision recorded; the record was last updated on 4 September 2025.
48 MWsolar farm
application submittedstatus in REPD
4 September 2025record last updated
County Durhamcouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 18 July 2025 | Application submitted |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 48 MW
- Status (REPD)
- application submitted
- Record last updated
- 4 September 2025
- Operator or applicant
- Development at Benridge Farm
- Planning authority
- County Durham
- Planning application reference
- DM/25/01964/FPA
- Site area
- 61.7 ha
- Address (REPD)
- The East South And W/O Benridge Farm, Fillpoke Lane, Blackhall Rocks, Hartlepool
- Council area (by location)
- County Durham
- Name in REPD
- Benridge Farm, Fillpoke Lane - Solar Panels
- REPD reference
- 18247
The scheme also includes 12 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (application submitted).
Who decides
| Applications | County Durham | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 89 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 22 (25%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 7 of 51 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 13 of 30 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 2 of 8 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 24.7 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 5 / 5 | — |
UK: all UK planning authorities. Counted under these REPD planning authority names: County Durham, Durham.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheraton Wind Farm (Durham) | wind farm | 10 | refused | 3.3 |
| Home Farm | solar farm | 13 | abandoned | 3.7 |
| Whelley Hill Farm, Worset Lane | battery storage | 50 | approved, not built | 4.0 |
| Whelley Hill Farm | battery storage | 25 | application withdrawn | 4.0 |
| Worset Lane Solar Farm | solar farm | 50 | approved, not built | 4.3 |
| High Volts Wind Farm | wind farm | 5.5 | operational | 4.6 |
| Sheraton Hall Solar Farm | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 4.8 |
| High Barnes Farm, Coal Lane Solar Farm | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 6.3 |
| High Barnes Farm, Coal Lane | battery storage | 25 | approved, not built | 6.3 |
Status and dates as recorded in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract); the database is compiled from public sources and can lag behind council decisions. Location: REPD grid reference (54.7331, -1.2765).