Hill Farm Solar Park & Battery Storage (Hanningfield Green) (36.7 MW)
Hill Farm Solar Park & Battery Storage (Hanningfield Green) is a 36.7 MW solar farm project in Chelmsford, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 7 July 2022, not yet built; the record was last updated on 27 February 2026. REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 7 July 2025, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR7a), so construction may have started. Check the planning authority's register for the latest position.
REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 7 July 2025, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR7a), so construction may have started.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 26 March 2021 | Application submitted |
| 7 July 2022 | Planning permission granted |
| 7 July 2025 | Permission expired |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 36.7 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 27 February 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Gulermak Renewables Ltd
- Planning authority
- Chelmsford
- Planning application reference
- 21/00555/FUL
- Site area
- 68.2 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Land West Of Hill Farm Pan Lane East Hanningfield Chelmsford
- Council area (by location)
- Chelmsford
- Time to decision
- 67 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- REPD reference
- 8910
The scheme also includes battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (approved, not built).
Who decides
| Applications | Chelmsford | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 15 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 5 (33%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 9 | 12% |
| Battery storage refused | 2 of 6 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 32.3 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 3 / 3 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon Barns Road Solar Park | solar farm | 8 | approved, not built | 1.2 |
| Canon Barns Road Solar Photovoltaic Arrays & Battery Storage | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 1.7 |
| Battlesbridge Bypass, Rettendon | battery storage | 100 | refused | 5.0 |
| Jackletts Farm | solar farm | 10 | refused | 5.0 |
| St Cleres Hall Pit Solar Array | solar farm | 25 | approved, not built | 5.1 |
| Southlands Solar Farm & Battery Storage | solar farm | 24.6 | approved, not built | 6.4 |
| Prentice’s Farm- Solar Farm | solar farm | 21 | approved, not built | 6.4 |
| Corporation Farm | solar farm | 5 | abandoned | 6.5 |
| Land West Of Flambirds Farm | solar farm | 5 | refused | 6.6 |
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 (51.6765, 0.5348).