A UK planning inspector has approved Enviromena’s proposed 40-megawatt Fillongley Solar Farm after overturning a refusal by North Warwickshire Borough Council, the renewable energy developer said.
The decision follows a planning inquiry that examined, among other issues, whether the site should be classified as Grey Belt land. The inspector confirmed that designation, a conclusion Enviromena said came after what it described as an avoidable and costly process.
Once operational, the project is expected to generate enough electricity to supply more than 16,500 homes a year and avoid about 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the company said.
“We welcome the Inspector’s clear and decisive ruling,” Mark Harding, Enviromena’s chief development officer, said in a statement. “The site was recommended for approval by planning officers on two separate occasions, and the appeal outcome reaffirms the strong planning merits of this scheme.”
The appeal also considered objections raised by Fillongley Parish Council, which had redirected community funds to oppose the development.
Enviromena’s chief executive Chris Marsh said the ruling reinforced the project’s environmental and policy credentials. “The inquiry confirmed what we have maintained from the outset: this is a well-designed, environmentally responsible solar project that will deliver significant local and national benefits,” he said.
He added that the decision was significant given the UK’s wider energy transition goals. “At a time when clean power is needed more than ever, this ruling sends an important signal that evidence-based, climate-aligned development must be supported,” Marsh said.
Enviromena said the Fillongley project will contribute to the UK government’s objective of reaching at least 45 gigawatts of operational solar capacity by 2030.
