The 49.5 MW Cobham Road Solar Park has been granted planning permission on appeal.
The decision, issued by a Government Planning Inspector, follows a 5-day hearing by Public Inquiry. The planning application was initially refused in April 2025 at committee, where Mole Valley District Councillors overturned a positive officer recommendation.
The Inspector agreed with the case put forward by the Appeal team that the scheme demonstrated substantial benefits. This ruling underscores the weight that national sustainable energy policy now carries in the planning system, reinforcing the direction set by the Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.
What are the benefits?
Clean Energy
Cobham Road Solar Farm will generate enough renewable energy to provide enough electricity for approximately 13,351 households every year.
Carbon Reduction
The project represents a saving of approximately 6,221 tonnes of CO2 per annum – that’s like taking 1,256 cars off the road.
Community
The Cobham Community Fund will help support key local community priorities.
Description:
Cobham Road Solar Park is a 49.5 MW grid-connected solar PV project proposed on land north of Cobham Road, Fetcham, within the Mole Valley District. The project is currently subject to a planning appeal, with a public inquiry scheduled for January 2026, and a decision expected in March 2026.
The solar park would operate for a period of 40 years. After this, it would then be decommissioned with the land fully restored. During its operation as a solar farm, the site would remain in agricultural use by way of sheep grazing, which, combined with resting the land, would improve the soil quality over time.
Additional benefits may include a community funding pot for local projects and the payment of business rates to Mole Valley District Council.
All submitted documents related to the project can be found at the link below.
Biodiversity at Cobham Solar Farm
The project includes the planting of new trees, hedgerows and wildflower meadows to provide new and enhanced habitat and foraging opportunities for wildlife.
The project would result in significant biodiversity net gain compared to existing conditions and will far surpass the nationally mandated 10% minimum net gain, as well as Mole Valley District Council’s 20% minimum net gain.
Key biodiversity measures include:
- 113.04% biodiversity net gain in hedgerow units compared to existing conditions.
- 72.78% biodiversity net gain in habitat units compared to existing conditions.
- 2.6km (1.4miles) of new species-rich hedgerow with native trees
- 1.4km of existing hedgerows with gaps to be infilled with further planting.
- 124 acres of enhanced species-rich grassland within the panel array.
- 20 bird nesting boxes on retained trees throughout the site.
- 10 bat roosting boxes on retained trees throughout the site.
- Several bird (skylark) enhancement plots, each measuring 6m2
- 4 hibernacula to provide long-term sheltering for amphibian and reptile species.