Cottam Solar Project (600 MW)
Cottam Solar Project is a 600 MW solar farm project in West Lindsey, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 5 September 2024, not yet built; the record was last updated on 18 November 2025. As a nationally significant project, it was decided by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on a Development Consent Order after examination by the Planning Inspectorate (EN010133).
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 12 January 2023 | Application submitted |
| 5 September 2024 | Development consent granted (Secretary of State) |
| 5 September 2029 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 600 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 18 November 2025
- Operator or applicant
- Island Green Power
- Planning authority
- The Planning Inspectorate - National Infrastructure
- Planning application reference
- EN010133
- Site area
- 1,270.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- 6.5km SE/O and 4km NE/O Gainsborough, West Lindsey, Lincoln
- Council area (by location)
- West Lindsey
- Time to decision
- 86 weeks
- REPD reference
- 10914
The scheme also includes battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (application submitted).
Official project record at the Planning Inspectorate (EN010133)
Who decides
As a nationally significant project, it was decided by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on a Development Consent Order after examination by the Planning Inspectorate (EN010133). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danes Farm - extension | solar farm | 10.5 | operational | 4.9 |
| Stow Park Farm, Stow Park | solar farm | 35 | application submitted | 5.8 |
| Solar Panels at Tillbridge Solar Farm | solar farm | 500 | approved, not built | 6.7 |
| Gate Burton Solar & Energy Storage Park | solar farm | 531 | approved, not built | 6.8 |
| West Burton Solar Project | solar farm | 480 | approved, not built | 7.0 |
| Marton Sewage Works, High Street | battery storage | 10 | application submitted | 7.2 |
| Brown's Holt Wind Farm | wind farm | 24 | application withdrawn | 7.3 |
| Hemswell Cliff Wind Farm | wind farm | 25 | refused on appeal | 8.8 |
| South Carlton | solar farm | 29 | application submitted | 9.8 |
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 (53.3521, -0.6432).