Rivington Wins Permit for Hartlepool Solar-Storage Farm

• Rivington Energy wins appeal for Whelly Hill Farm solar-plus-storage, overturning council rejection and unlocking 41 MWp solar with 64 MWh storage in Hartlepool.

Rivington Energy won planning approval on appeal from the Secretary of State for the Whelly Hill Farm solar-plus-storage project in Hartlepool, County Durham. The 41-MWp solar park with a 64-MWh battery system was acquired from Gridserve in September, alongside two other shovel-ready schemes, in a pre-ready-to-build deal.

The application, filed in March 2023 and initially recommended for approval, was rejected by Hartlepool Borough Council in March 2025. Rivington’s Renewable Connections unit challenged the decision on Gridserve’s behalf before the ownership change. The approval adds to Rivington’s portfolio of more than 1.25 GW of consented renewable projects delivered since 2021.

What led to approval on appeal for Whelly Hill’s solar-plus-storage project?

• The successful appeal hinged on demonstrating that the project delivered a material net public benefit, especially regarding local grid stability and decarbonization targets under national policy frameworks.

• Appeals documentation emphasized that the visual and land-use impacts were fully mitigable, and that the site’s agricultural classification supported dual-use potential rather than permanent land loss.

• The Secretary of State accepted that battery storage materially increases regional flexibility, reducing curtailment and supporting resilience goals—points that were not given enough weight in the initial rejection.

• Rivington’s evidence also highlighted a procedural imbalance in the council’s refusal, showing that statutory consultees had not raised objections significant enough to warrant rejection, strengthening the case for overturning the decision.

• The approval reflects a broader trend in UK planning: projects combining solar and storage are more likely to succeed on appeal when they demonstrate quantified system-level benefits and robust landscape-management plans.