Bluebell Wood Solar Farm & Battery Storage (49.9 MW)
Bluebell Wood Solar Farm & Battery Storage is a 49.9 MW solar farm project in Somerset, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 16 July 2024, not yet built; the record was last updated on 16 February 2026.
49.9 MWsolar farm
approved, not builtstatus in REPD
16 February 2026record last updated
Somersetcouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 13 November 2023 | Application submitted |
| 16 July 2024 | Planning permission granted |
| 16 July 2027 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 49.9 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 16 February 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Low Carbon UK Solar Investment Co Limited
- Planning authority
- Somerset
- Planning application reference
- 2023/2183/FUL
- Site area
- 74.3 ha
- Address (REPD)
- S/O Flexham Farm, Bradford Road, Rode, Frome
- Council area (by location)
- Somerset
- Time to decision
- 35 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- REPD reference
- 13988
The scheme also includes 50 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (approved, not built).
Who decides
| Applications | Somerset | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 185 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 46 (25%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 34 of 153 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 9 of 10 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 3 of 22 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 14.0 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 17 / 9 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoopers Pool, Southwick | solar farm | 30 | application submitted | 1.0 |
| Land at Poles Hole Farm | solar farm | 6.8 | operational | 2.1 |
| Storridge Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 31 | approved, not built | 3.3 |
| Land West Side of Axe and Cleaver Lane | solar farm | 5 | operational | 3.5 |
| St Georges Cross Farm, Berkley Lane | battery storage | 60 | refused | 4.1 |
| Trowle Common | solar farm | 5 | operational | 5.0 |
| Blenches Mill | solar farm | 6.1 | operational | 5.0 |
| Lodge Hill, Berkley Solar Park | solar farm | 14.5 | approved, not built | 5.7 |
| Cockhill Solar Farm | solar farm | 20 | operational | 5.7 |
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 (51.285, -2.2603).