Cowdown Lane (40 MW solar farm)
Cowdown Lane is a 40 MW solar farm project in Test Valley, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 23 March 2016; the record was last updated on 2 February 2017.
40 MWsolar farm
operationalstatus in REPD
2 February 2017record last updated
Test Valleycouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1 May 2014 | Application submitted |
| 15 October 2014 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 22 June 2015 | Appeal lodged |
| 24 December 2015 | Planning permission granted |
| 24 December 2015 | Appeal allowed |
| 1 January 2016 | Construction started |
| 23 March 2016 | Operational |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 40 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 2 February 2017
- Operator or applicant
- Equitix
- Planning authority
- Test Valley
- Planning application reference
- 14/00949/FULLN
- Appeal reference
- APP/C1760/W/15/3016531
- Address (REPD)
- Land West Of Cowdown Lane, Goodworth Clatford, Andover
- Council area (by location)
- Test Valley
- Time to decision
- 86 weeks
- REPD reference
- 1983
Who decides
| Applications | Test Valley | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 49 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 8 (16%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 7 of 41 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 0 of 1 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 1 of 7 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 23.6 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 4 / 3 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester Road, Wherwell Solar Farm | solar farm | 45.9 | approved, not built | 2.2 |
| South Way, Walworth Business Park Solar Photovoltaics | rooftop solar | 5.2 | application withdrawn | 2.2 |
| Westover Farm | solar farm | 7 | operational | 5.0 |
| Abbots Ann | solar farm | 7 | operational | 5.1 |
| Lower Wyke Farm, St Mary Bourne Solar Farm | solar farm | 21 | approved, not built | 5.4 |
| Andover Solar Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 5.6 |
| Owls Lodge Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 6.2 |
| Owls Lodge Farm Extension | solar farm | 5 | operational | 6.5 |
| Saxley Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 6.6 |
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 (51.1961, -1.4601).