Cleve Hill Solar Project (373 MW)
Cleve Hill Solar Project is a 373 MW solar farm project in Swale, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 1 July 2025; the record was last updated on 28 July 2025. As a nationally significant project, it was decided by the Secretary of State responsible for energy at the time on a Development Consent Order after examination by the Planning Inspectorate (EN010085).
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 16 November 2018 | Application submitted |
| 28 May 2020 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 29 January 2021 | Development consent granted (Secretary of State) |
| 1 April 2023 | Construction started |
| 1 July 2025 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 373 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 28 July 2025
- Operator or applicant
- Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners
- Planning authority
- The Planning Inspectorate - National Infrastructure
- Planning application reference
- EN010085
- Site area
- 364.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Graveney, Whitstable
- Council area (by location)
- Swale
- Time to decision
- 115 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR4
- REPD reference
- 6502
The scheme also includes 150 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (operational).
Official project record at the Planning Inspectorate (EN010085)
Who decides
As a nationally significant project, it was decided by the Secretary of State responsible for energy at the time on a Development Consent Order after examination by the Planning Inspectorate (EN010085). All Energy Secretary decisions on solar and wind farms. The Planning Inspectorate - National Infrastructure refused 7% of 46 decided solar, wind and battery applications in REPD (median 73 weeks to a decision). Across all UK planning authorities 19% of 10,236 decided applications were refused.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Fields Farm | solar farm | 5.3 | operational | 2.4 |
| Littles Manor Farm | solar farm | 9.5 | refused on appeal | 5.9 |
| Old Rides solar Farm | solar farm | 8 | operational | 6.8 |
| Old Rides Farm, Leysdown Road | battery storage | 1,000 | application submitted | 7.2 |
| New Rides Wind Farm | wind farm | 8.8 | operational | 7.3 |
| New Rides Farm - Photovoltaic Panels | solar farm | 10 | approved, not built | 7.4 |
| Tonge Corner Farm | solar farm | 22 | operational | 9.4 |
| North Court Farm, Chilham Solar Farm | solar farm | 44 | refused on appeal | 10.0 |
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 (51.3388, 0.9139).