Houston Solar PV Farm & Energy Storage Facility (75 MW)
Houston Solar PV Farm & Energy Storage Facility is a 75 MW solar farm project in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 20 March 2026, not yet built; the record was last updated on 22 June 2026. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 4 October 2023 | Application submitted |
| 20 March 2026 | Section 36 consent granted (Scottish Ministers) |
| 20 March 2031 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 75 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 22 June 2026
- Operator or applicant
- The Old Rectory
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00004825
- Site area
- 129.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Houston Village Hall, 19 Main Street, Houston, Johnstone
- Council area (by location)
- Renfrewshire
- Time to decision
- 128 weeks
- REPD reference
- 14293
The scheme also includes 25 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (approved, not built).
Who decides
As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36. Scottish Government (S36) refused 18% of 334 decided solar, wind and battery applications in REPD (median 127 weeks to a decision). Across all UK planning authorities 19% of 10,236 decided applications were refused.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artfield Forest Wind Farm | wind farm | 67.2 | approved, not built | 3.9 |
| Middleton Road - Linwood Battery Energy Storage System | battery storage | 69 | abandoned | 4.2 |
| Middleton Farm Cottage, Middleton Road | solar farm | 40 | approved, not built | 4.8 |
| East Fulwood Greenock Road Solar Farm | solar farm | 14.3 | approved, not built | 5.2 |
| East Fulwood Energy Storage | battery storage | 400 | application submitted | 5.2 |
| Land SW of Shilton Cottage | battery storage | 29.9 | operational | 5.6 |
| Land off Shilton Lane | battery storage | 19 | abandoned | 6.8 |
| Well Street | battery storage | 49.5 | approved, not built | 7.5 |
| Glasgow Airport Solar Farm | solar farm | 19.9 | under construction | 7.6 |
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 (55.8676, -4.5502).