Thinking of putting solar panels in a field, paddock or yard instead of on a roof? Ground mounts work well on farms, estates and business sites. Most need planning permission, but for a small array that is usually simpler than people expect.

When you don’t need planning permission

Very small arrays can count as permitted development, so no application is needed.

  • Homes in England: a stand-alone array of up to 9 square metres can usually go in without permission. New rules from 27 August 2026 changed the height limits: 1 metre in front of the house near a boundary, 2 metres near a boundary, and 4 metres elsewhere. Until 27 August 2027 you can follow either the old rules or the new ones.
  • Farms and businesses: stand-alone panels in the grounds also have a 9 square metre limit, and a 4 metre height limit.
  • Not allowed within the grounds of a listed building or on a scheduled monument.

Nine square metres is only about four panels. Anything bigger needs planning permission.

When you do

Most ground mounts for farms, estates and businesses need full planning permission from the local planning authority.

  • Sites under 1 hectare are usually “minor” applications. Local planning authorities aim to decide them within 8 weeks.
  • Sites of 1 hectare or more are “major” applications, with a 13 week target.

What the local planning authority will look at

  • Landscape and views: how much the panels can be seen from roads, footpaths and homes, and whether hedges screen them.
  • Glint and glare: important near roads, railways and airfields.
  • Heritage: listed buildings and conservation areas nearby.
  • Flood risk: if the site is in a flood zone.
  • Farmland quality: local planning authorities protect the best and most versatile land (grades 1, 2 and 3a).
  • Wildlife: most planning applications in England now need to show a gain in biodiversity. Solar on grassland often helps, but it has to be measured.
  • Access: how equipment gets on site during the build.

What goes in the application

  • A location plan and a site plan
  • The panel layout and heights
  • A short planning statement
  • Surveys, only if the site needs them (for example ecology, flood risk or glint and glare)
  • The local planning authority’s application fee, which is set nationally and rises each April

Our small ground-mount planning package

We now offer a fixed-price planning package for small ground mounts, from £1,750 plus the local planning authority’s fee.

  • A planning check first. If you don’t need permission at all, we’ll tell you.
  • We prepare and submit the application, and deal with the local planning authority until a decision.
  • Led by our in-house Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI).
  • No surprises. If the site needs a survey, we quote for it up front.

Get a fixed-price quote → · More about our planning service →

Sources

Correct at the time of writing (7 October 2026). Rules change, so check the latest guidance or talk to us about your site.