Woodlands Farm (49.9 MW solar farm)
Woodlands Farm is a 49.9 MW solar farm project in Breckland, England. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 7 January 2025, not yet built; the record was last updated on 23 February 2026.
49.9 MWsolar farm
approved, not builtstatus in REPD
23 February 2026record last updated
Brecklandcouncil area
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 23 March 2022 | Application submitted |
| 8 December 2023 | Refused by the planning authority |
| 24 May 2024 | Appeal lodged |
| 7 January 2025 | Planning permission granted |
| 7 January 2025 | Appeal allowed |
| 7 January 2028 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- solar farm
- Capacity
- 49.9 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 23 February 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Elgin Energy EsCo Limited
- Planning authority
- Breckland
- Planning application reference
- DC/22/01530
- Appeal reference
- AP/24/00058
- Site area
- 56.2 ha
- Address (REPD)
- Woodlands Farm Stowmarket Road Badley
- Council area (by location)
- Breckland
- Time to decision
- 146 weeks
- Contracts for Difference
- AR7a
- Name in REPD
- Woodlands Farm - Solar Array
- REPD reference
- 10969
Who decides
| Applications | Breckland | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Decided applications (solar, wind, battery) | 38 | 10,236 |
| Refused | 7 (18%) | 19% |
| Solar refused | 4 of 28 | 12% |
| Onshore wind refused | 3 of 7 | 45% |
| Battery storage refused | 0 of 3 | 16% |
| Median time from submission to decision | 19.4 weeks | 17.0 weeks |
| Appeals lodged / allowed | 2 / 2 | — |
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Farm (Barnham) | solar farm | 29 | refused on appeal | 6.6 |
| Hall Farm and Field Barn Farm | solar farm | 34 | refused | 8.1 |
| Honington Solar Farm | solar farm | 13.6 | operational | 8.6 |
| Firsfield Solar Farm | solar farm | 46.9 | approved, not built | 9.6 |
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 (52.4137, 0.7508).