Snakes Meadow Solar Farm (45.5 MW)
Snakes Meadow Solar Farm is a 45.5 MW solar farm project in Bedford, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 8 May 2024, not yet built; the record was last updated on 30 June 2026.
45.5 MWsolar farm
approved, not builtstatus in REPD
30 June 2026record last updated
Bedfordcouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 12 October 2021 | Application submitted |
| 8 May 2024 | Planning permission granted |
| 8 May 2027 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 45.5 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 30 June 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Renewable Connections Developments Limited / European Energy UK Ltd
- Planning authority
- Bedford
- Planning application reference
- 21/02526/MAF
- Site area
- 79.6 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Snakes Meadow, West End, Stagsden, West End, Stagsden, Bedford
- Council area (by location)
- Bedford
- Time to decision
- 134 weeks
- Name in REPD
- Snakes Meadow - Solar Farm
- REPD reference
- 9820
Who decides
| Applications | Bedford | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 50 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 17 (34%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 32 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 4 of 4 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 10 of 14 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 15.9 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 0 / 1 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Brickmakers Arms Battery | battery storage | 20 | approved, not built | 5.9 |
| Stone Lane Quarry, Woburn Road Solar Array Area | solar farm | 5.1 | application submitted | 6.5 |
| Brogborough Landfill, Lidlington Solar PV park | solar farm | 40 | approved, not built | 6.8 |
| Milton Keynes Wind Farm | wind farm | 14 | operational | 6.8 |
| Brogborough Landfill Site | wind farm | 5.4 | refused | 7.2 |
| Green Lane, Stewartby | solar farm | 30 | application submitted | 7.2 |
| Rectory Farm/Emberton | solar farm | 9 | operational | 7.3 |
| Elstow Landfill Site | solar farm | 5.5 | under construction | 8.6 |
| Clapham Plateau Solar Farm | solar farm | 5.5 | approved, not built | 9.3 |
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 (52.1139, -0.5919).