Lower Farm, Drointon Lane Solar farm & Battery Energy Storage (49.9 MW)
Lower Farm, Drointon Lane Solar farm & Battery Energy Storage is a 49.9 MW solar farm project in Stafford, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 14 January 2025, not yet built; the record was last updated on 19 February 2026.
49.9 MWsolar farm
approved, not builtstatus in REPD
19 February 2026record last updated
Staffordcouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 17 March 2023 | Application submitted |
| 2 August 2024 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 23 December 2024 | Appeal lodged |
| 14 January 2025 | Planning permission granted |
| 14 January 2025 | Appeal allowed |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 49.9 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 19 February 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Innova Renewables
- Planning authority
- Stafford
- Planning application reference
- 23/36938/FUL
- Appeal reference
- APP/Y3425/W/24/3351763
- Site area
- 43.6 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Lower Farm Drointon Lane Grindley
- Council area (by location)
- Stafford
- Time to decision
- 96 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- Name in REPD
- Lower Farm, Drointon Lane - Solar farm & Battery Energy Storage
- REPD reference
- 13549
The scheme also includes 30 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (approved, not built).
Who decides
| Applications | Stafford | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 20 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 5 (25%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 14 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 1 of 1 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 1 of 5 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 16.3 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 2 / 2 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yew Tree Farm, Drointon Lane | solar farm | 49 | application submitted | 0.3 |
| Moreton Brook Farm, Lea Lane Solar Farm | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 2.1 |
| Bagot's Park | wind farm | 18.4 | refused | 5.9 |
| Spring Farm (wind) | wind farm | 6 | application withdrawn | 7.0 |
| Hanyards Lane, Tixall Solar Energy Park | solar farm | 49.5 | approved, not built | 7.1 |
| Black Flatts Solar Farm | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 8.8 |
| Colton Mill Farm & Cawarden Springs Farm | solar farm | 49.9 | approved, not built | 9.4 |
| Former Rugeley Power Station | battery storage | 49.9 | abandoned | 9.6 |
| Upper Leigh | battery storage | 20 | application submitted | 9.7 |
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 (52.8397, -1.963).