Solar farm land in Wiltshire.
Wiltshire already has a lot of solar, big skies and some of England's most protected chalk landscapes. Here's what matters locally.
What matters for solar in Wiltshire.
Almost half is protected
Almost half of the Wiltshire Council area is National Landscape: the Cotswolds, North Wessex Downs and Cranborne Chase. Stonehenge and Avebury are a World Heritage Site.
A local plan reset
Wiltshire Council withdrew its draft Local Plan from examination in May 2026 and is starting a new one. Its existing adopted plans still apply in the meantime.
Solar is already big here
Wiltshire had around 548MW of solar by 2022, according to the council's climate strategy, which plans for more.
Large schemes face scrutiny
Lime Down Solar Park, up to 500MW north of the M4, is being decided nationally. Wiltshire Council opposed it in January 2026, citing landscape harm near the Cotswolds.
Who decides in Wiltshire.
Wiltshire Council decides most solar farms in Wiltshire, and Swindon Borough Council decides in Swindon. 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
- Wiltshire Council (unitary)
- Swindon Borough Council (unitary)
- New Forest National Park Authority (for the small part of Wiltshire in the park)
Protected landscapes
- Cotswolds National Landscape (part)
- North Wessex Downs National Landscape (part)
- Cranborne Chase National Landscape (part)
- New Forest National Park (a small part)
- Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site
Projects over 100MW, such as Lime Down Solar Park, are decided by the Secretary of State. The council is consulted but does not decide.
Grid access in Wiltshire.
Wiltshire is served mainly by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), not NGED. Wiltshire Council's climate strategy says grid capacity will need to improve before much more renewable power can connect.
Grid connections reform applies across Great Britain, including SSEN's network. The queue has been reordered, and new connection offers are going out in batches, with the last expected by mid-March 2027. 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.
Keep farming
Sheep can graze between the panels, and the land can be managed for wildlife.
Solar in Wiltshire: questions
Who decides a solar farm planning application in Wiltshire?
Wiltshire Council, or Swindon Borough Council in Swindon. In the small part of Wiltshire inside the New Forest National Park, the National Park Authority decides. Schemes over 100MW go through the national process instead.
Can I put a solar farm in a National Landscape in Wiltshire?
It is much harder. Almost half of Wiltshire is National Landscape, and Stonehenge and Avebury are a World Heritage Site. These have the highest protection, so most solar farms are on land outside them. We check your site's designations first.
How much do solar farms pay per acre in Wiltshire?
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 Wiltshire?
It depends on your nearest substation and the queue ahead of it. The council says grid capacity needs to improve. A free grid check is the quickest way to find out.
Other counties
- Land for solar in Devon →
- Land for solar in Cornwall →
- Land for solar in Somerset →
- Land for solar in Dorset →
- Land for solar in Gloucestershire →
- Landowner guide →
Sources: Wiltshire Council: landscape conservation · Wiltshire Council: Local Plan withdrawn · Wiltshire Council: climate strategy, energy · Wiltshire Council: Lime Down Solar Park · UNESCO: Stonehenge and Avebury · Ofgem: connection offers timetable. Checked 25 October 2026.
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