Cowles Farm (5 MW solar farm)
Cowles Farm is a 5 MW solar farm project in Forest of Dean, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: refused on appeal on 7 February 2017; the record was last updated on 28 February 2017.
5 MWsolar farm
refused on appealstatus in REPD
28 February 2017record last updated
Forest of Deancouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2015 | Application submitted |
| 15 October 2015 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 29 April 2016 | Appeal lodged |
| 7 February 2017 | Appeal refused |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- refused on appeal
- Record last updated
- 28 February 2017
- Operator or applicant
- Wessex Solar Energy
- Planning authority
- Forest of Dean
- Planning application reference
- P0856/15/FUL
- Appeal reference
- APP/P1615/W/16/3148113
- Site area
- 8.3 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Cowles Farm, Elton Road, Elton, Newnham, Gloucestershire
- Council area (by location)
- Forest of Dean
- Time to decision
- 15 weeks
- REPD reference
- 5446
Who decides
| Applications | Forest of Dean | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 28 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 8 (29%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 7 of 26 | 12% |
| Battery storage refused | 1 of 2 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 14.1 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 2 / 1 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stantway Solar Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 2.7 |
| Gravel Farm, Cleeve Solar Farm | solar farm | 32 | application withdrawn | 3.2 |
| Solar PV Panels & Battery Storage Facility | solar farm | 49.9 | application withdrawn | 3.8 |
| Solar PV Panels & Battery Storage Facility | battery storage | 49.9 | application withdrawn | 3.8 |
| Locquiers Farm, Plump Hill Solar Farm | solar farm | 15.7 | approved, not built | 5.3 |
| Northington Lane | battery storage | 35 | approved, not built | 5.5 |
| Awre Penisular Farmer's Community Solar Scheme | solar farm | 49.9 | refused | 5.8 |
| Epney, Framilode Solar Farm & Battery Storage | solar farm | 49.5 | refused | 7.1 |
| Solar Panels at Ne/O Poulton Court Farm | solar farm | 40 | application submitted | 7.3 |
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 (51.8261, -2.4384).