Tophams Solar Farm (40 MW)
Tophams Solar Farm is a 40 MW solar farm project in North Hertfordshire, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 17 June 2024, not yet built; the record was last updated on 20 February 2026.
40 MWsolar farm
approved, not builtstatus in REPD
20 February 2026record last updated
North Hertfordshirecouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 5 April 2022 | Application submitted |
| 17 June 2024 | Planning permission granted |
| 17 June 2027 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 40 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 20 February 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Pathfinder Clean Energy UK Dev Limited
- Planning authority
- North Hertfordshire
- Planning application reference
- 22/00741/FP
- Site area
- 53.6 ha
- Address (REPD)
- W/O Ashwell Road, Bygrave, Baldock
- Council area (by location)
- North Hertfordshire
- Time to decision
- 115 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- REPD reference
- 9037
The scheme also includes 8 MW of battery storage, recorded separately in REPD (approved, not built).
Who decides
| Applications | North Hertfordshire | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 17 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 5 (29%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 3 of 9 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 1 of 1 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 1 of 7 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 88.4 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 1 / 2 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston | wind farm | 6 | application withdrawn | 4.5 |
| Letchworth Garden City - Urban Reserve Energy Storage Facility | battery storage | 5 | approved, not built | 4.7 |
| Weston Hills | wind farm | 6 | refused | 5.7 |
| Westfield Conservation Park | battery storage | 99 | application submitted | 5.7 |
| Highfield Wind Farm | wind farm | 12.5 | appeal withdrawn | 7.0 |
| Langford Solar Farm | solar farm | 13 | operational | 7.1 |
| Highfield Farm, Royston Road Solar Farm & Battery Storage | solar farm | 18 | approved, not built | 7.5 |
| Langford Wind Farm | wind farm | 20 | operational | 7.8 |
| Dunton Lane | battery storage | 200 | approved, not built | 8.3 |
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 (52.0125, -0.1607).