Fernishaw Solar Farm & Battery Energy Storage Facility (75 MW)
Fernishaw Solar Farm & Battery Energy Storage Facility is a 75 MW solar farm project in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 23 July 2025, not yet built; the record was last updated on 17 February 2026. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 19 December 2023 | Application submitted |
| 23 July 2025 | Section 36 consent granted (Scottish Ministers) |
| 23 July 2028 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 75 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 17 February 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Elgin Energy (EEB67)
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00004871
- Site area
- 116.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- east of Fernieshaw Road and west of Muiredge and Jersey Road, Cleland
- Council area (by location)
- North Lanarkshire
- Time to decision
- 83 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- REPD reference
- 14540
The scheme also includes 25 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (approved, not built).
Who decides
As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36. Scottish Government (S36) refused 18% of 334 decided solar, wind and battery applications in REPD (median 127 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartwood | wind farm | 30 | application withdrawn | 1.3 |
| Salsburgh | wind farm | 24 | application withdrawn | 2.4 |
| Hartwood Windfarm | wind farm | 21 | permission expired | 2.6 |
| North Lanrigg Energy Storage | battery storage | 200 | approved, not built | 3.4 |
| Biggar Road, Cleland | battery storage | 30 | approved, not built | 3.7 |
| Newarthill Energy Park | battery storage | 300 | approved, not built | 4.2 |
| Watsonhead Wind Farm | wind farm | 8.4 | operational | 4.8 |
| Dewshill Wind Farm | wind farm | 9 | approved, not built | 5.4 |
| Wishaw Battery Storage Facility | battery storage | 50 | operational | 6.0 |
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 (55.8119, -3.8811).