Solar planning consultant in Gloucestershire.
Planning for solar farms, battery storage and commercial solar across Gloucestershire. Led by our in-house Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI), from our base in Exeter.
Planning that knows Gloucestershire.
Councils are changing
Your district council decides until a single new Gloucestershire council takes over on 1 April 2028. We track the change, so an application in progress is not caught out.
The Cotswolds test
The Cotswolds National Landscape Board does not, in principle, support solar farms over five hectares inside it. We check your site against it, and the Wye Valley and Malvern Hills, first.
Flood risk planned for
Land along the Severn and its tributaries can flood. We check flood zones early and plan any flood risk assessment from the start.
Grid and planning together
A consent is only worth having with a grid connection. We check both at the same time, so nothing is wasted.
Planning authorities in Gloucestershire.
Most solar farms in Gloucestershire are decided by the district, borough or city council where the land sits. South Gloucestershire has its own unitary council. 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
- Cotswold, Forest of Dean and Stroud district councils
- Cheltenham and Tewkesbury borough councils, and Gloucester City Council
- South Gloucestershire Council (a separate unitary council)
Protected landscapes
- Cotswolds National Landscape
- Wye Valley National Landscape (shared with Herefordshire and Monmouthshire)
- Malvern Hills National Landscape (shared with Herefordshire and Worcestershire)
A single new Gloucestershire council takes over on 1 April 2028, with shadow elections on 6 May 2027. Gloucestershire County Council does not decide solar farm applications.
Know the cost up front.
The same fees across Gloucestershire and the UK. Surveys at cost plus a management fee.
- Desktop feasibility study: solar, wind or battery
- From £650 ex VAT
- Pre-application package
- From £3,000 ex VAT
- Full planning application, up to 10MW
- Price on request
- Full planning application, 10MW to 49.9MW
- Price on request
Solar planning in Gloucestershire: questions
Who decides a solar farm planning application in Gloucestershire?
Usually the district, borough or city council where the land is, until the new single council takes over in April 2028. South Gloucestershire Council decides in its area. Schemes over 100MW go through the national process.
Can you get planning for a solar farm in the Cotswolds?
Inside the National Landscape it is hard: the board does not, in principle, support solar farms over five hectares there. Smaller, well-screened schemes, or land outside it, stand a far better chance.
How long does solar planning take in Gloucestershire?
Local planning authorities aim to decide major applications, which include most solar farms, within 13 weeks, or 16 weeks if an Environmental Impact Assessment is needed. Surveys and pre-application advice come first. We give you a realistic timeline for your site.
What does a solar planning consultant cost?
Most of our fees are published. A pre-application package starts from £3,000 ex VAT. Full applications are priced for each site, so contact us for a quote. Specialist surveys are charged at cost plus a management fee.
Related
- Solar planning in Devon →
- Solar planning in Cornwall →
- Solar planning in Somerset →
- Solar planning in Dorset →
- Solar planning in Wiltshire →
- Solar farm land in Gloucestershire →
- Grid consultancy →
- Guide: small ground-mount planning →
Sources: Gloucester City Council: reorganisation decision · Cotswolds National Landscape: renewable energy · Cotswold District Council: Renewable Energy Study · Malvern Hills National Landscape · Discovering Britain: Tewkesbury floods · NGED: queue formation. Checked 25 October 2026.
A site in Gloucestershire? Get a fixed price.
Tell us about the site. We'll reply within one working day with a fixed quote and a clear next step.