Leasing land for solar in Cornwall.
Cornwall has strong sunshine, a council that backs well-designed renewables, and real limits on landscape and grid. Here's what matters locally.
What matters for solar in Cornwall.
A clear council policy
Cornwall Council's Climate Emergency plan (adopted 2023) supports renewables that keep land farmed, offer community ownership on larger schemes and avoid the best farmland.
A third is protected
The Cornwall National Landscape covers almost a third of the county, in 12 sections along the coast and on Bodmin Moor. Most solar farms sit outside it.
Keep farming the land
Sheep grazing under the panels fits the council's policy well, and is common on Cornish solar farms.
The grid is the big question
Cornwall's network was among the first in England to fill up, in 2015. Capacity has moved since, but every site needs checking.
Who decides in Cornwall.
Cornwall Council decides solar farms across the county. The Isles of Scilly have their own planning authority. Solar farms up to 100MW are decided by the local planning authority. Larger schemes go through the national planning process, after the threshold rose from 50MW on 31 December 2025.
Planning authorities
- Cornwall Council (unitary)
- Council of the Isles of Scilly
Protected landscapes
- Cornwall National Landscape (12 sections, including Bodmin Moor)
- Tamar Valley National Landscape (shared with Devon)
- Isles of Scilly National Landscape
The council's Renewable Energy Sensitivity Assessment and online map show how sensitive each area is to solar. We check your site against it.
Grid access in Cornwall.
Cornwall is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED). In 2015 new larger connections across the South West were paused because the main network into Cornwall was full, and some Cornish schemes were cut back or blocked.
Grid connections reform has reshaped the queue. In December 2025, NGED confirmed reformed queue positions across its areas, with around 9.8GW of solar still in the queue. Projects with land secured and planning moving now get priority.
That is why we check the grid first, for free, before you sign anything. How grid reform affects landowners →
A steady rent, at no cost to you.
Every site is different. We give you a clear figure once we know your land. How solar rents work →
Rent
Solar rents are often around £1,000 per acre a year, linked to inflation, for the life of the lease.
Lease length
Most new solar leases run for around 30 to 40 years. At the end, the land is restored.
No cost to you
The project pays for surveys, grid and planning, and we cover your reasonable legal fees.
Keep farming
Sheep can graze between the panels, and the land can be managed for wildlife.
Solar in Cornwall: questions
Does Cornwall Council support solar farms?
Yes, when they are well designed. Its Climate Emergency plan supports renewables that keep land in farming use, avoid the best farmland and offer community ownership on commercial schemes.
Can I put a solar farm in the Cornwall National Landscape?
It is much harder. The National Landscape has the highest landscape protection, so most solar farms are on land outside it. We check this first.
How much do solar farms pay per acre in Cornwall?
Solar rents are often around £1,000 per acre a year, linked to inflation, but the figure depends on the grid connection, the site and the market. We give you a clear figure once we know your land.
Is there grid capacity for solar in Cornwall?
It varies by substation. Cornwall has a history of grid limits, so a grid check is the first thing we do, for free.
Other counties
Sources:Cornwall Council: Climate Emergency DPD · Cornwall National Landscape · Isles of Scilly planning · Farmers Weekly: 2015 grid limit · NGED: queue formation. Checked 1 October 2026.
Got land in Cornwall? Check it for free.
Tell us where it is. We'll check the grid and planning picture and give you an honest answer.