Higher Stockbridge Farm (35 MW solar farm)
Higher Stockbridge Farm is a 35 MW solar farm project in Dorset, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 8 December 2021, not yet built; the record was last updated on 12 September 2023. REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 8 December 2024, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR4), so construction may have started. Check the planning authority's register for the latest position.
REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 8 December 2024, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR4), so construction may have started.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 23 December 2019 | Application submitted |
| 8 December 2021 | Planning permission granted |
| 8 December 2024 | Permission expired |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 35 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 12 September 2023
- Operator or applicant
- Voltalia UK
- Planning authority
- Dorset
- Planning application reference
- WD/D/19/003181
- Site area
- 79.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Higher Stockbridge Farm, Stockbridge, Sherborne
- Council area (by location)
- Dorset
- Time to decision
- 102 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR4
- REPD reference
- 7817
Who decides
| Applications | Dorset | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 125 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 23 (18%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 15 of 105 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 5 of 5 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 3 of 15 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 19.0 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 6 / 6 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alton Mead Lane | solar farm | 5 | permission expired | 3.5 |
| Caswell Farm, Common Lane Solar Farm | solar farm | 40 | application submitted | 5.1 |
| Caswell Farm, Common Lane | battery storage | 20 | application submitted | 5.1 |
| Caswell Farm Solar Park | solar farm | 6.7 | operational | 5.7 |
| Clifton Farm | solar farm | 35 | operational | 5.9 |
| North Dairy Farm Solar Farm | solar farm | 30 | approved, not built | 8.4 |
| Southern Counties Shooting Ground Phase 2 | solar farm | 5 | operational | 8.9 |
| Southern Counties Shooting Ground Phase 1 | solar farm | 9 | operational | 9.0 |
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 (50.8985, -2.5169).