Tillbridge Solar Development - Compulsory Acquisition Hearing

NOTICE OF ISSUE-SPECIFIC HEARINGS, OPEN-FLOOR HEARING AND COMPULSORY ACQUISITION HEARING – SECTIONS 91, 92 and 93 OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008 AND RULE 13(6)
INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (EXAMINATION PROCEDURE) RULES 2010

Tillbridge Solar Development Consent Order
Planning Inspectorate Reference Number: EN010142
NOTICE OF HEARINGS
Notice is hereby given that, at the dates, times and locations set out below, the following Hearings will be held by the Examining Authority (on behalf of the Secretary of State (the “Secretary of State”)) for the examination of the application made by Tillbridge Solar Limited (company number 12887594) of 111 Park Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1K 7JF (“the Applicant”) for a Development Consent Order under Sections 14(1)(a), 15(2) and 37 of the Planning Act 2008 (the “Application”).
The Application is for development consent for the proposed Tillbridge Solar Project (“the Scheme”) which is a renewable energy scheme situated within the administrative areas of West Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.
The Application (Reference No. EN010142) was submitted to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate on 10 April 2024 and was accepted on 8 May 2024. The Examining Authority was appointed on 19 June 2024 to examine the Application and the Examination will commenced at the Preliminary Meeting on Tuesday 15 October 2024.
The Hearings will take place between 14 and 16 January 2025, at the following times and locations:
Hearing
Date
Time
Venue
Issue Specific Hearing 2 (ISH2) – Environmental Matters:

Water Environment
& Flood Risk, Soils
& Agriculture; and
General & other
Planning Matters
Tuesday 14 January 2025
Registration and seating available from: 13:30
Virtual Registration Process from: 13:30
Hearing starts: 14:00
All hearings will be blended events at:

Lincolnshire Showground, Grange-de-Lings, Lincoln, LN2 2NA

and

By virtual means using Microsoft Teams.
Open Floor Hearing 2 (OFH2)
Tuesday 14 January 2025
Registration and seating available from: 17:30
Virtual Registration Process from: 17:30
Hearing starts: 18:00

Issue Specific Hearing 3 (ISH3) – Environmental Matters:

Health, Safety & Wellbeing; Landscape & Visual Impact; Noise; Biodiversity & Ecology; and Development Consent Order
Wednesday 15 January 2025
Registration and seating available from: 09:30
Virtual Registration Process from: 09:30
Hearing starts: 10:00
This ISH will likely adjourn for lunch and continue thereafter until its conclusion.

Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 1 (CAH1)
Thursday 16 January 2025
Registration and seating available from: 09:30
Virtual Registration Process from: 09:30
Hearing starts: 10:00

Details regarding attending and speaking at the Hearings are set out in the Examining Authority’s Rule 13 notification available via the Tillbridge Solar Project page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010142
Interested Parties wishing to speak at the Hearings listed above should notify the Planning Inspectorate in writing via the website link above.
If you require assistance to register your attendance, please contact the Planning Inspectorate by calling 0303 444 5000 or by email tillbridgesolarproject@planninginspectorate.gov.uk and quote the Application’s reference number: EN010142.
The Hearings will also be held as virtual events, and it will be possible to join them using Microsoft Teams via the Microsoft Teams app or any standard internet browser, or alternatively by telephone dial-in. Full instructions on how to join online or by telephone will be provided in advance to those who have pre-registered.
Please note that Hearings will be recorded by the Planning Inspectorate, and the recordings and transcript will be published on the Tillbridge Solar Project page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website as soon as practicable after each Hearing has taken place.
Further information regarding the Hearings, the examination of the Application, the full timetable, how and when to register to speak at the Hearings, and how and when to make written submissions will also be available on the Tillbridge Solar Project page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website (link above), or by contacting the Planning Inspectorate (details above).
SUMMARY OF THE SCHEME
The Scheme will comprise the construction, operation (including maintenance) and decommissioning of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays. The Scheme will also include associated development to support the solar PV arrays.
The Scheme is made up of the Principal Site, the Cable Route Corridor and works to the existing National Grid Cottam Substation. The Principal Site comprises the solar PV arrays, electrical substations, grid balancing infrastructure, cabling and areas for landscaping and ecological enhancement.
The associated development element of the Scheme includes, but is not limited to, access provision; a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), to support the operation of the ground mounted solar PV arrays; the development of on-site substations; underground cabling between the different areas of solar PV arrays; and areas of landscaping and biodiversity enhancement.
The Scheme also includes a 400kV underground Cable Route Corridor of approximately 18.5km in length connecting the Principal Site to the National Electricity Transmission System (NETS) at the existing National Grid Cottam Substation. The Scheme will export and import electricity to the NETS.
The Principal Site is situated to the east and south-east of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire and lies entirely within the administrative boundary of West Lindsey District Council (within Lincolnshire County Council) and covers an area of approximately 1,345 ha. The Cable Route Corridor runs from the Principal Site in a south westerly direction across West Lindsey District Council (within Lincolnshire County Council) and the River Trent into the administrative area of Bassetlaw District Council (within Nottinghamshire County Council) and covers an area of approximately 315 ha.
A map showing the location of the Scheme can be viewed on the National Infrastructure Planning website at the following link: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN010142/EN010142-000517-2.1%20Location%20Plan%20(Rev%201).pdf
Development consent is required for the Scheme as it is a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) pursuant to 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 megawatts (“MW”). It is for this reason that the Scheme falls within the remit of the Secretary of State for decision-making.
The Development Consent Order would authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily, as needed to implement the Scheme. The Development Consent Order would also authorise the construction of temporary and permanent accesses to the Scheme, the temporary stopping up or diversion of public rights of way, street and highway works, and the application and disapplication of certain legislation.
APPLICATION FORM AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS
The application form and the accompanying documents, plans and Environmental Statement (ES) and non-technical summary of the ES (“Application Documents”) can be viewed and downloaded free of charge online on the Tillbridge Solar Project page of the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website under the documents tab: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010142/documents
The Application Documents will be available to view online at least until the Secretary of State makes their decision whether or not to grant the Development Consent Order for the Scheme.
If you require a copy of the Application Documents to be supplied on a USB stick, this can be provided free of charge (one device per household). Please use the contact details for the Applicant provided in this notice to request for this to be provided.
The Application Documents can be supplied in hard copy format on request at a cost of £5,000. For any bespoke or hard copy document requests (for example in large print, audio or braille formats) please contact the Applicant using the contact details in this notice. Copies of individual documents are also available on request and a reasonable copying charge may apply.
APPLICANT CONTACT DETAILS
If you have any questions about the Application Documents, you can email info@tillbridgesolar.com, write to FREEPOST TILLBRIDGE SOLAR (please note, no stamp is required), or call 0800 046 9643.
The Planning Inspectorate can also be contacted by telephone on 0303 444 5000 or email tillbridgesolarproject@planninginspectorate.gov.uk. Latest details can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.