Chapel Farm (49.5 MW battery storage)
Chapel Farm is a 49.5 MW battery storage project in Central Bedfordshire, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 1 May 2023; the record was last updated on 6 March 2026.
49.5 MWbattery storage
operationalstatus in REPD
6 March 2026record last updated
Central Bedfordshirecouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 8 May 2018 | Application submitted |
| 18 January 2019 | Planning permission granted |
| 1 March 2022 | Construction started |
| 1 May 2023 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- battery storage (stand-alone storage)
- Capacity
- 49.5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 6 March 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Harmony Energy
- Planning authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Planning application reference
- CB/18/01795/FULL
- Address (REPD)
- Chapel Farm, Luton Road, Chalton, Luton, Bedfordshire
- Council area (by location)
- Central Bedfordshire
- Time to decision
- 36 weeks
- REPD reference
- 7058
Who decides
| Applications | Central Bedfordshire | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 59 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 8 (14%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 4 of 36 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 2 of 7 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 2 of 16 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 19.6 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 1 / 3 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sundon Substation | battery storage | 49.9 | operational | 0.6 |
| Sundon Sub Station Battery Storage Facility | battery storage | 50 | approved, not built | 0.7 |
| Sundon, Chalton | battery storage | 500 | approved, not built | 0.7 |
| Vauxhall Motors | rooftop solar | 5 | abandoned | 1.8 |
| Hillcrest, Church Road | battery storage | 50 | application withdrawn | 1.8 |
| Chalgrave Manor, Luton Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 40 | approved, not built | 1.8 |
| Chalgrave Manor | solar farm | 24.6 | abandoned | 1.9 |
| Toddington Services, Hipsey Spinney | battery storage | 250 | approved, not built | 2.0 |
| Avenue Power - Urban Reserve Flexible Energy Facility | battery storage | 5 | application withdrawn | 4.4 |
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 (51.9258, -0.5).