Following the government’s pledge to “Deliver Clean Power by 2030 – paving the way to decarbonising the wider economy by 2050”, Felsted Parish Council has been informed that a large solar farm development covering circa 650 acres is being proposed for land located between Watch House Green and Rayne.
The solar development, named “Hedgehog Grove Solar Farm” is a project of TotalEnergies, a global integrated energy company.
Details of the proposal can be found at: https://www.hedgehoggrovesolarfarm.co.uk/
You may remember that two separate solar farms were proposed within Felsted Parish in autumn 2022 (then referred to as Poplars Farm and Drapers Farm) and there were two public consultation events held by the developers. Neither came to a formal planning application stage and both were subsequently withdrawn.
However, the Parish Council is now advised that these two sites are being merged into one large site which will be brought forward as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (known as an NSIP). In addition, it is proposed that the NSIP will to be progressed under a Development Consent Order (DCO).
NSIP’s, are large scale national infrastructure projects which are treated separately from any normal local authority planning process because of their size and importance and a DCO is a formal Order granting development consent for a proposed NSIP.
An NSIP submitted with a DCO is a statutory instrument determined by the Secretary of State.
If approved by the Secretary of State, the DCO is the most significant outcome of the NSIP procedure because in bypassing the normal planning application process, the DCO:
- Grants the development consent and some other required permissions for the approved project;
- Grants the power to compulsorily acquire land and rights, if so required;
- Defines the works which have been approved; and
- Sets out the requirements (conditions attached to the DCO) which will control the construction, commissioning, operation and, if appropriate, the decommissioning of the approved works.
By their very nature NSIP’s and DCO’s remove the normal opportunity for either the District Council or Parish Council to submit an objection.
The submission process is managed by the Planning Inspectorate, the government agency responsible for examining applications of this size and scale in England and Wales.
The “Hedgehog Grove Solar Farm” developer is stating that before submitting their DCO application, under the requirements of the Planning Act 2008 they will consult on their project. This will include engaging with local authorities, statutory bodies such as Natural England, the Environment Agency and the local community.
Felsted Parish Council has never had to deal with either an NSIP or a Development Consent Order but government guidance clarifies that a DCO “removes the need to obtain additional authorisation”, i.e. if an NSIP and DCO are allowed, they no longer need to obtain any form of conventional planning permission.
The developer is promoting the creation of a Community Liaison Group which Felsted Parish Council and Uttlesford District Council representatives have been invited to join.
Whilst normal planning procedures are not engaged, we must prepare for the possibility that the development is given the go-ahead by the Secretary of State and therefore Felsted Parish Council and our Uttlesford District Councillors (John Evans and Richard Silcock) have agreed to participate in the Community Liaison Group meetings. We will jointly pursue all opportunities to minimise disruption during development and operation, the environmental impact and appraise all prospects for community benefit (there will be a community benefit fund associated with the proposal which will support social and environmental causes, including: Climate and Environmental Improvements, Youth Inclusion and Education, Road Safety, Cultural Dialogue and Heritage).
The Parish Council pointed out to “TotalEnergies” that their proposed NSIP would be additional to an already approved but as yet undeveloped, solar farm at Willows Green (with an output of 49,9MW and covering an area of 281 acres) which is also scheduled for connection to the UKPN network at the Braintree 132kV substation. They agreed to liaise with the applicant – Clearstone Energy.
The “Hedgehog Grove Solar Farm” website – https://www.hedgehoggrovesolarfarm.co.uk/ – includes a comprehensive FAQ’s section and also includes the option to “sign up” for notification of future updates.
The Parish Council will update the Parish Council Website as the process progresses.