North Fossil Farm (40 MW solar farm)
North Fossil Farm is a 40 MW solar farm project in Dorset, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 12 January 2022, not yet built; the record was last updated on 16 February 2022. REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 12 January 2025, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR4), so construction may have started. Check the planning authority's register for the latest position.
REPD records the planning permission as expiring on 12 January 2025, but the project holds a Contracts for Difference award (AR4), so construction may have started.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 21 January 2021 | Application submitted |
| 12 January 2022 | Planning permission granted |
| 12 January 2025 | Permission expired |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 40 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 16 February 2022
- Operator or applicant
- Spring Dev 03 Ltd
- Planning authority
- Dorset
- Planning application reference
- 6/2020/0595
- Site area
- 47.5 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Land North of North Fossil Farm, Dorchester Road, East Knighton, Dorchester,
- Council area (by location)
- Dorset
- Time to decision
- 51 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR4
- Name in REPD
- North Fossil Farm - Solar Panels
- REPD reference
- 8828
Who decides
| Applications | Dorset | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 125 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 23 (18%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 15 of 105 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 5 of 5 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 3 of 15 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 19.0 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 6 / 6 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galton Manor Solar Park | solar farm | 5 | operational | 1.6 |
| Galton Manor Farm Solar Farm | solar farm | 30 | approved, not built | 2.3 |
| Land at East Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 2.8 |
| Holly Farm Solar Park | solar farm | 5 | operational | 3.3 |
| Crossways Pit Solar Farm | solar farm | 5 | operational | 4.6 |
| Woolbridge Solar Park | solar farm | 5 | operational | 4.9 |
| Stokeford Farm | solar farm | 28.5 | operational | 7.8 |
| Alaska Wind Farm | wind farm | 9.2 | operational | 7.8 |
| Trigon Solar Farm | solar farm | 7 | operational | 9.2 |
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 (50.6672, -2.2843).