Bidwell Solar Farm (5 MW)
Bidwell Solar Farm is a 5 MW solar farm project in South Hams, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 1 April 2015; the record was last updated on 16 July 2015.
5 MWsolar farm
operationalstatus in REPD
16 July 2015record last updated
South Hamscouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1 May 2013 | Application submitted |
| 1 July 2013 | Planning permission granted |
| 10 December 2013 | Construction started |
| 1 April 2015 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 16 July 2015
- Operator or applicant
- Wessex Solar Energy
- Planning authority
- South Hams
- Planning application reference
- 14/1040/13/F
- Address (REPD)
- Solar energy facility at South Downs, Dartington, Totnes
- Council area (by location)
- South Hams
- Time to decision
- 9 weeks
- REPD reference
- 1964
Earlier applications for this site
| Application | MW | Submitted | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bidwell Solar Park 14/2182/12/F | 5 | — | withdrawn 5 April 2013 |
Who decides
| Applications | South Hams | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 36 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 6 (17%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 28 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 3 of 3 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 0 of 5 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 13.1 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 1 / 2 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Blakemore Farm | solar farm | 5 | refused on appeal | 1.7 |
| Riverford Farm | battery storage | 49.9 | permission expired | 2.5 |
| Hood Barton, Staverton | battery storage | 99 | application submitted | 2.5 |
| Hazard Farm | solar farm | 6.4 | operational | 3.0 |
| Hatchlands Farm | solar farm | 5.2 | operational | 4.2 |
| Marley Thatch Solar Farm | solar farm | 6.3 | operational | 5.7 |
| Coombeshead Solar Farm | solar farm | 8 | operational | 6.4 |
| Waye Barton | solar farm | 5 | application withdrawn | 6.8 |
| Parkview solar park | solar farm | 6.5 | operational | 7.4 |
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 (50.4391, -3.7313).