Grounds Farm Solar farm (20 MW)
Grounds Farm Solar farm is a 20 MW solar farm project in Central Bedfordshire, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 19 October 2021, not yet built; the record was last updated on 11 November 2022. REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 19 October 2024, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR6), so construction may have started. Check the planning authority's register for the latest position.
REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 19 October 2024, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR6), so construction may have started.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 8 April 2021 | Application submitted |
| 19 October 2021 | Planning permission granted |
| 19 October 2024 | Permission expired |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 20 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 11 November 2022
- Operator or applicant
- Encavis
- Planning authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Planning application reference
- CB/21/01571/FULL
- Site area
- 37.5 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Land at Grounds Farm, Church End, Hockliffe, Leighton Buzzard
- Council area (by location)
- Central Bedfordshire
- Time to decision
- 28 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR6
- Name in REPD
- Grounds Farm - Solar farm
- REPD reference
- 8472
Who decides
| Applications | Central Bedfordshire | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 59 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 8 (14%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 4 of 36 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 2 of 7 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 2 of 16 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 19.6 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 1 / 3 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manor Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 1.1 |
| Leighton Road & Hawthorn | solar farm | 20 | approved, not built | 1.7 |
| Trinity Hall Solar Farm | solar farm | 15 | under construction | 2.1 |
| Tilsworth | solar farm | 20.3 | application withdrawn | 2.4 |
| Eastern Way | wind farm | 8.2 | application submitted | 3.0 |
| Eastern Way | solar farm | 20 | application submitted | 3.0 |
| Bury Farm, Dickens Lane | battery storage | 350 | refused | 3.3 |
| Smarter Network Storage | battery storage | 6 | decommissioned | 3.9 |
| Chalgrave Manor | solar farm | 24.6 | abandoned | 5.5 |
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 (51.9326, -0.6026).