Mannington Solar Projects:
Woodlands and North Farm Solar
Clean energy and local benefits for Dorset
The Mannington Solar Projects bring together the neighbouring North Farm and Woodlands Solar Farm sites, located just outside Verwood in Dorset. Developed by BayWa r.e. UK Ltd., together, they will generate 47.5 MW of clean electricity, enough to power 13,500 homes, while delivering long-term community, environmental, and economic benefits.
With an operational life of 40 years, the projects will support Dorset’s transition to renewable energy while keeping land in productive agricultural use through sheep grazing opportunities.
Key Facts at a glance
About the projects
North Farm and Woodlands were originally developed as separate solar projects and both received planning consent in May 2025. They are now being taken forward together as the Mannington Solar Projects, a coordinated scheme that:
Shares infrastructure, including a single grid connection point;
Reduces construction traffic and disruption for local residents; and
Delivers greater community and environmental benefits than either site could achieve alone.
BayWa r.e. has a strong track record of delivering renewable energy projects across the UK and Europe, combining technical expertise with a commitment to responsible development and strong local partnerships.
Community benefits
The projects will bring long-term investment to Dorset, including:
£20,000 each year for local community projects, adding up to £800,000 over 40 years;
£55,000 a year in Business Rates, supporting local services such as schools, roads, and healthcare, with more than £2.2 million over the projects’ lifetime;
Opportunities for local jobs and businesses during construction and ongoing maintenance.
The community fund will be shaped with input from local groups to make sure it supports the projects and services that matter most to local people.
Tackling climate change
The projects will generate enough renewable electricity to power 13,500 homes every year: more homes than in Verwood, Woodlands, and Horton combined.
By doing so, they will:
Save around 9,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) per year, with the sites becoming carbon neutral within 3 years and 2 months of being operational.
Help meet national targets for clean energy, supplying over 15% of the Government’s 2030 solar target for Southwest England.
Support Dorset’s move towards a net zero, climate-friendly energy system.
We have carefully considered views from both public locations and private properties. In addition to the ecological enhancement that it provides, the hedgerow and tree planting will provide some screening to further reduce the visibility of the solar farm.
We have produced our Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) which has been submitted into the planning application process. The LEMP will set out all of the improvement measures that we have committed to and explains how we will implement and maintain them throughout the lifespan of the project.
Next steps
We are preparing to submit a planning application for an underground cable route to connect both projects to the National Grid at Mannington Substation. By making a single application, we can reduce disruption and ensure efficient delivery.
If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2027, with both sites generating clean power by 2028.