Solar Farm Developers in the UK: What a Landowner Should Check Before Replying

Updated 30 October 2026 · SEO Dons Editorial

A letter from a solar developer is flattering and easy to misread. It usually means a developer has spotted possible grid capacity near you and is screening many sites; several developers may write to the same area. This guide is for landowners deciding how to respond. It does not rank or recommend developers, and SEO Dons does not broker land deals or act for landowners; take independent advice from a land agent and a solicitor.

What to do first

Brodies LLP’s guidance for landowners approached about renewable projects (21 May 2026) calls taking advice first “arguably the most important” step, starting with a lawyer or land agent, each of whom can recommend the other, and says the developer should cover the cost of that advice. It also recommends tax advice on the income and on any tax effect of changing the land’s use, and letting your lawyer draft or review the documents. In practice, ask for a written agreement to pay your reasonable professional fees before you instruct advisers, and get it in writing.

Checks on the developer

A long-standing checklist from Savills’ energy team in Farmers Weekly (September 2013) is dated in its figures but still sound in its questions. Adapted for today:

Track record. How long has the company traded, and what has it built or consented? Can you visit a scheme and speak to its landowner? What failed, and why? Do not choose on rent alone.
Funding. Planning a large scheme is expensive; ask how it is funded and whether the company can see the project through.
Exit plans. Many developers sell the consent or the project to an investor. Ask whether that is the plan and what it would mean for you; check that the lease binds whoever takes over.
Company checks. Look the company up at Companies House and read its filings; a new special purpose company with no history is normal for a project, so ask who stands behind it.

Checks on the site

Developers choose sites on the grid first. Carter Jonas has said viable sites are generally within about 5km of a substation or have suitable overhead lines nearby, and Brodies notes that grid availability and cost can be a major hurdle in rural areas. Ask which substation the scheme would connect to and whether a connection offer exists. Then land: the developer will check title, third-party access rights and existing tenancies, and will look at land quality, flood risk, heritage and visibility. Find out your own grade first with our land classification map guide; best and most versatile land (grades 1, 2 and 3a) makes planning harder.

Checks on the offer

Term	What to ask
Heads of terms	Are they binding? They are often hard to move away from once signed; get advice before signing
Option agreement	How long is exclusivity (three to five years is common, sometimes longer), what is the annual fee, and is there a firm longstop date with a fee for each extension?
Land included	Is the option limited to the land the scheme needs, so the whole farm is not tied up?
Break rights	If there is no progress, can you end the agreement for non-performance?
Rent	Per acre or per megawatt, index-linked, with a revenue-share top-up? Published figures cluster around £1,000 per acre per year
Decommissioning	What security backs removal and restoration, who can draw on it, and how often is it reviewed?

Our solar farm land lease guide explains each stage and the tax points, including why Agricultural Property Relief is normally lost on land let for solar. Test the scale of an offer against published rents with the solar farm land calculator, and see solar panels on farmland for the alternatives to leasing: owning an array or putting panels on buildings.

If several developers write

Competing interest is useful: it is one reason to appoint a land agent early, because the agent can see which terms comparable sites have secured. Do not grant exclusivity to the first developer simply because they wrote first. Ask each for the same information in the same form and compare it.

Frequently asked questions

Is a letter from a solar developer a sign my land is valuable?

It usually means the developer has spotted possible grid capacity near you and is screening many sites. Several developers may write to the same area. Do not sign anything on the strength of the letter; ask a land agent what comparable sites have secured.

Who pays for my solicitor and land agent when a developer approaches me?

It is a point to negotiate at heads of terms stage. Brodies says the developer should cover the cost of your advice. Get any agreement to pay your reasonable fees in writing before you instruct advisers.

How do I check a solar developer is genuine?

Ask for its track record and examples of built or consented schemes, how the project is funded, who stands behind the project company, and whether it plans to sell the consent. Check its filings at Companies House, and take advice from a land agent and a solicitor.

Sources

Get a free solar panels for agriculture quote

1. Tell us about the holding — buildings, land and rough annual electricity spend.
2. We reply by email with next steps. No obligation.
3. Check before you sign — look the installer up on the MCS and RECC registers and compare any quote with our cost guide.