Hawthorn Pit -Solar Farm (49.9 MW)
Hawthorn Pit -Solar Farm is a 49.9 MW solar farm project in County Durham, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 25 May 2023, not yet built; the record was last updated on 10 July 2024. REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 25 May 2026, 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 25 May 2026, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR6), so construction may have started.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 4 October 2021 | Application submitted |
| 19 July 2022 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 12 October 2022 | Appeal lodged |
| 25 May 2023 | Planning permission granted |
| 25 May 2023 | Appeal allowed |
| 25 May 2026 | Permission expired |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 49.9 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 10 July 2024
- Operator or applicant
- Aura Power Developments Limited
- Planning authority
- County Durham
- Planning application reference
- DM/21/03420/FPA
- Appeal reference
- 22/00052/REF
- Site area
- 52.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Croup Hill South Of Beaconsyde Farm Broadoaks Murton
- Council area (by location)
- County Durham
- Time to decision
- 85 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR6
- REPD reference
- 9799
Who decides
| Applications | County Durham | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 89 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 22 (25%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 7 of 51 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 13 of 30 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 2 of 8 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 24.7 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 5 / 5 | — |
UK: all UK planning authorities. Counted under these REPD planning authority names: County Durham, Durham.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorn Grid Site | battery storage | 49 | operational | 1.2 |
| Woodlands, Windermere Road | battery storage | 90 | application submitted | 1.2 |
| Carrs Farm, South Hetton | battery storage | 200 | application submitted | 1.7 |
| Hawthorn Wind Farm | wind farm | 7.5 | application withdrawn | 2.2 |
| Great Eppleton Farm Repowering | wind farm | 8.2 | operational | 2.4 |
| Hallfield Farm, Easington Solar Farm | solar farm | 49.9 | application submitted | 2.9 |
| Hallfield Farm, Easington | battery storage | 57 | application submitted | 2.9 |
| South Sharpley Wind Farm (Revised) | wind farm | 7.5 | operational | 3.4 |
| Fox Cover Solar Farm - Ground Mounted Photovoltaic Panels | solar farm | 8 | approved, not built | 4.4 |
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 (54.81, -1.4049).