Kintore (50 MW solar farm)
Kintore is a 50 MW solar farm project in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Its status: consented by Scottish Ministers on 4 September 2026, not yet built (Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit). The Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) still records: application submitted on 29 July 2025, no decision recorded; the record was last updated on 13 October 2025. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 29 July 2025 | Application submitted |
| 4 September 2026 | Consent granted (Scottish Ministers) |
Status source: Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit. The Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) still shows this project as “application submitted”.
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 50 MW
- Status
- approved, not built (Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit; REPD: application submitted)
- Record last updated
- 13 October 2025
- Operator or applicant
- Mespil Solar Energy
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00005245
- Site area
- 99.0 ha
- Address (REPD)
- 2km S/O Kintore, Inverurie
- Council area (by location)
- Aberdeenshire
- Name in REPD
- Kintore - Solar Photovoltaic Array
- REPD reference
- 17470
The scheme also includes 40 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (application submitted).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Womblehill Farm, Kintore | battery storage | 200 | application submitted | 1.7 |
| Broomhill BESS | battery storage | 49 | approved, not built | 1.8 |
| Kintore Battery Energy Storage Project | battery storage | 300 | approved, not built | 2.0 |
| Kintore Substation, Leylodge | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 2.0 |
| Fordtown Energy Storage | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 2.1 |
| South Leylodge Farmhouse, Kintore | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 2.2 |
| Cullerlie Solar Farm | solar farm | 13 | approved, not built | 9.4 |
| Dyce Energy Storage, Raiths Industrial Estate Battery Facility | battery storage | 50 | operational | 9.5 |
Status and events credited to a named source are from that source; other 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 (57.2029, -2.3588).