Higher Witheven Solar (42.5 MW)
Higher Witheven Solar is a 42.5 MW solar farm project in Cornwall, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 19 August 2025, not yet built; the record was last updated on 8 June 2026.
42.5 MWsolar farm
approved, not builtstatus in REPD
8 June 2026record last updated
Cornwallcouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 21 June 2023 | Application submitted |
| 21 August 2024 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 20 December 2024 | Appeal lodged |
| 19 August 2025 | Planning permission granted |
| 19 August 2025 | Appeal allowed |
| 19 August 2028 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 42.5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 8 June 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Downing Renewables
- Planning authority
- Cornwall
- Planning application reference
- PA23/04306
- Appeal reference
- APP/D0840/W/24/3358031
- Site area
- 82.1 ha
- Address (REPD)
- N/O Canworthy House Canworthy Water Launceston
- Council area (by location)
- Cornwall
- Time to decision
- 113 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- REPD reference
- 10483
Who decides
| Applications | Cornwall | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 225 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 49 (22%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 31 of 159 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 15 of 39 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 3 of 27 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 16.6 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 23 / 20 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canworthy Water | solar farm | 41 | operational | 1.4 |
| Big Field Wind Farm | wind farm | 25.3 | refused on appeal | 3.7 |
| Winsdon Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 4.3 |
| Grange Farm (Cornwall) | solar farm | 5 | operational | 6.2 |
| Villaton Farm Solar Park | solar farm | 12.5 | refused | 6.5 |
| Northmoor | solar farm | 5 | operational | 6.7 |
| Cold Northcott | wind farm | 6.6 | operational | 7.0 |
| Hornacott Solar Park | solar farm | 5 | refused on appeal | 7.3 |
| Lower Tregeen Farm | solar farm | 5 | approved, not built | 7.4 |
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 (50.7039, -4.51).