Cressing Solar Farm (Phase 1) (5 MW)
Cressing Solar Farm (Phase 1) is a 5 MW solar farm project in Braintree, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: operational since 16 March 2016; the record was last updated on 26 April 2017.
5 MWsolar farm
operationalstatus in REPD
26 April 2017record last updated
Braintreecouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 24 July 2015 | Application submitted |
| 12 November 2015 | Planning permission granted |
| 16 March 2016 | Operational |
| 1 May 2016 | Construction started |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- operational
- Record last updated
- 26 April 2017
- Operator or applicant
- Octopus Investments
- Planning authority
- Braintree
- Planning application reference
- 15/00949/FUL
- Address (REPD)
- Land South Of Sheepcote Wood B, Witham Road, Cressing, Braintree, Essex
- Council area (by location)
- Braintree
- Time to decision
- 16 weeks
- REPD reference
- 5497
Who decides
| Applications | Braintree | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 34 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 3 (9%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 25 | 12% |
| Battery storage refused | 0 of 9 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 15.9 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 2 / 2 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cressing Solar Farm (Phase 2) | solar farm | 18 | abandoned | <0.1 |
| Cressing Farm, Witham Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 13.8 | approved, not built | 0.7 |
| Cressing East Solar Farm | solar farm | 24.9 | approved, not built | 2.6 |
| Park Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 22.5 | approved, not built | 3.0 |
| Periwinkle Hall - Links Solar photovoltaic farm & Battery storage | solar farm | 35 | operational | 3.1 |
| Braintree Road, Cressing | battery storage | 57 | under construction | 4.3 |
| Slamseys Energy Storage | battery storage | 10 | under construction | 5.4 |
| Little Braxted Solar Park | solar farm | 15 | appeal withdrawn | 6.0 |
| Felsted School Road Solar Photovoltaic Farm & Battery storage | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 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 (51.8408, 0.6011).