Notice is hereby given that an application for a Development Consent Order (‘DCO’) under section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 has been made by Springwell Energyfarm Limited (company number 13484004) of Alexander House, 1 Mandarin Road, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton le Spring, DH4 5RA (‘the Applicant’) to the Secretary of State (‘the Application’).

The Application was made on 20 November 2024 and accepted for examination under section 55 of the Planning Act 2008 by the Secretary of State on 18 December 2024 (Application Reference: EN010149). The Application is for the proposed Springwell Solar Farm (the ‘Proposed Development’).

Summary of the Proposed Development

The Proposed Development is located at land north of Sleaford, close to the settlements of Blankney, Scopwick, Kirkby Green and Ashby de la Launde, within the administrative boundaries of North Kesteven District Council and Lincolnshire County Council. The Proposed Development would cover an area of approximately 1280 ha (“the Order Limits”). A map showing the location of the Proposed Development can be viewed on the National Infrastructure Planning website at the following link: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010149/documents.

The Proposed Development comprises the construction, operation (including maintenance), and decommissioning of solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays and battery storage, together with associated infrastructure and an underground cable connection to the proposed National Grid Navenby Substation. The agreed grid connection for the Proposed Development would allow the export and import of up to 800 megawatts (‘MW’) of electricity to the National Electricity Transmission System.

The Application is required because the Project is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project pursuant to sub sections 14(1)(a) and 15(1) and (2) of the Planning Act 2008, as an onshore generating station in England with a capacity exceeding 50 MW. As such, the decision whether to grant development consent will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (the 'Secretary of State').

The DCO, if granted, would authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily. The DCO would also authorise alterations to the layout of streets, the construction of accesses to the Proposed Development, the temporary closure and creation and enhancement of public rights of ways, street works, removal of hedgerows, and the application, disapplication and modification of legislation.

Environmental Impact Assessment

The Proposed Development is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development, as defined by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 and accordingly an Environmental Statement (ES) accompanies the Application.

Application form and accompanying documents:

The Application form and the accompanying documents, plans and maps, including the ES and draft DCO, are available to view electronically and download, free of charge, under the ‘Documents’ tab on the Springwell Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010149/documents.

The Application documents are available for electronic inspection, via computer, free of charge at the following venues and times set out below. The Application documents will be available to view online at least until the end of the Relevant Representation period at 11:59pm on Monday 17 February 2025.

If you require an electronic copy of the Application documents to be supplied on a USB stick, this can be provided free of charge (one device per household or business). Please use the contact details for the Applicant in this notice to request a USB stick. You can also contact the Applicant using these contact details if you have any enquiries in relation to the Application form and its accompanying documents, plans and maps.

The Application documents can be made available in hard copy format subject to a fee of:

• Consultation Report, Planning Statement and Statement of Need - £750;

• Environmental Statement Report Volumes 1-3 - £1,500; and

• Total cost for all documents (including files, covers and spines) - £5,000.

The Applicant will also consider any reasonable requests for bespoke or hard copy documents, and will accommodate such requests where it is feasible to do so and for which a reasonable charge may apply. In relation to any request, please contact the Applicant using the contact details in this notice.

Making a representation

A relevant representation is a person’s or organisation’s detailed comments about a DCO Application. Any person or organisation may make representations on the Application to the Secretary of State (including giving notice of any interest in, comment on, objection to or support for the Application). All representations relating to the Application must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form and give the grounds on which it is made.

The Planning Inspectorate has issued detailed advice on making and registering a relevant representation and becoming an Interested Party, to which you should have regard. This Advice Note (NSIPs: How to register to have your say and make a relevant representation) is published on the Government’s website under the heading 'Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: Advice notes' and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-how-to-register-to-have-your-say-and-make-a-relevant-representation.

The Registration and Relevant Representation Form will be made available by the Planning Inspectorate. The form can be found on the Springwell Solar Farm page via the National Infrastructure Planning website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010149.

If you require guidance on obtaining or completing the Registration and Relevant Representation Form or you are unable to complete the form online and you would like to register your interest and/or request a hard copy, please telephone the Planning Inspectorate on 0303 444 5000 quoting the name of the Application and the Planning Inspectorate's reference number [EN010149].

Any Registration and Relevant Representation Form must be received by the Planning Inspectorate no later than 11:59pm on Monday 17 February 2025.

All representations must include details of the maker’s name, address and telephone number, along with an outline of the points intended to be made at the examination stage. Please ensure that you quote reference number [EN010149] in all correspondence with the Planning Inspectorate about the Application.

Please note that any submitted representations to the Planning Inspectorate will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website for the Application and will be subject to their privacy policy which can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-inspectorate-privacy-notices/customer-privacy-notice.

A completed hard copy form to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate should be sent to:

The Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN.

Applicant’s contact details

For further information about the Application, or to request copies of documents, the Applicant can be contacted by using the following details:

Telephone (free of charge): 0800 038 3486 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri)

Email: info@springwellsolarfarm.co.uk

Freepost: Springwell Solar Farm, FREEPOST SEC Newgate UK LOCAL

Any details you provide to the Applicant via telephone or e-mail will be subject to its privacy policy linked here: https://www.edf-re.uk/privacy-policy/ and will be treated confidentially and processed and handled in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation.

Springwell Energyfarm Ltd