Whitehill Way, Swindon - Planning Application For Development

Notice Of Acceptance Of An Application For A Development Consent Order By The Planning Inspectorate (On Behalf Of The Secretary Of State For Energy Security And Net Zero) Under Section 56 Of The Planning Act 2008

Peartree Hill Solar Farm Development Consent Order 
Planning Inspectorate Reference No: EN010157 
Regulations 8 And 9 Of The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms And Procedure) Regulations 2009 
Regulation 16 Of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017

1 Notice Of Application Acceptance

1.1 Notice is hereby given that the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (‘the Secretary of State’)) has accepted an application made by RWE Renewables UK Solar and Storage Limited (registered company number: 14539260) of Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon, Wiltshire, England, SN5 6PB (‘the Applicant’) for a Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008 (‘the Application’). The Application (Reference No. EN010157) was submitted by the Applicant to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate on Friday 21 February 2025 and was accepted for examination on Friday 21 March 2025.

2 Summary Of The Proposed Development

2.1 Peartree Hill Solar Farm consists of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array electricity generating facility, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure, which would allow for the generation and export of up to 320 megawatts of electricity located to the east of Beverley in the administrative boundary of East Riding of Yorkshire Council (the ‘Proposed Development’).

2.2 The Proposed Development comprises several areas of land connected by a series of underground cables. The Proposed Development will establish a grid connection via underground cabling to the National Grid Creyke Beck Substation, which will transfer the electricity to the national electricity network.

2.3 The main elements of the Proposed Development include:
• Solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and associated mounting structures (groupings of solar PV modules are referred to as ‘arrays’);

• On-site supporting equipment including inverters, transformers, direct current (DC)-DC converters and switchgear;

• A battery energy storage system (BESS) including batteries and associated enclosures, monitoring systems, air conditioning, electrical cables and fire safety infrastructure;

• Two on-site 132 kV substations, including transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers, control equipment buildings, control functions, material storage, parking, as well as wider monitoring and maintenance equipment;

• Low voltage and 33 kV interconnecting cabling within and between the Land Areas to connect the solar PV modules together and to transmit electricity from the solar PV modules and BESS to one of the two on-site 132 kV substations;

• 132 kV underground cables (two 132 kV export cables) connecting the on-site substations to the National Grid Creyke Beck Substation;

• Works at the National Grid Creyke Beck Substation to facilitate the connection of the 132 kV underground cabling into the substation;

• Associated infrastructure including access tracks, parking, security measures, gates and fencing, lighting, drainage infrastructure, storage containers, earthworks, surface water management, maintenance and welfare facilities, security cabins and any other works identified as necessary to enable the development;

• Highways works to facilitate access for construction vehicles, comprising passing places where necessary to ensure that heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) can be safely accommodated amongst existing traffic, new or improved site accesses and visibility splays;

• A series of new permissive paths connecting to the existing public right of way network;

• Environmental mitigation and enhancement measures, including landscaping, habitat management, biodiversity enhancement and amenity improvements; and,

• Temporary development during the construction phase of the Proposed Development including construction compounds, parking and laydown

2.4 The Proposed Development is a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) because it would be able to generate over 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This is an application made to the Planning Inspectorate and decided by the Secretary of State in accordance with the Planning Act 2008.

2.5 A map showing the location of the Proposed Development can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website at the following address: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010157/documents  

2.6 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 for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Proposed Development.

The DCO would also authorise the construction of temporary and permanent accesses to the Proposed Development, the temporary stopping up or diversion of public rights of way, street works and highway works, and the application and disapplication of certain legislation.

3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
3.1 Due to its nature and size, the Proposed Development is classified as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. An EIA has therefore been undertaken for the Proposed Development and the Application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement which reports on the EIA.

4 APPLICATION FORM AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS
4.1 The Application form and its accompanying documents including the draft DCO, plans the Environmental Statement and Non-technical Summary (NTS) (‘Application Documents’) can be viewed online, or downloaded free of charge, from the Peartree Hill Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website under the Documents tab: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010157 

4.2 The Application Documents can also be viewed and downloaded free of charge on the Applicant’s project website: https://peartreehillsolar.co.uk/documents/ 

4.3 The Application Documents will be available on both above websites at least until the Secretary of State makes their decision whether or not to grant the Development Consent Order. 

4.4 On request, an electronic copy of the Application Documents can also be provided free of charge on a USB memory stick, which will be limited to one USB per household or business. To request a USB, please contact the Applicant using the contact details provided at the end of this notice.

4.5 The Application Documents are available to view electronically free of charge from Tuesday 8 April to Friday 30 May 2025, at the locations and times set out below

*Please note that opening hours are subject to change. Please check and confirm opening times with the venue if planning a visit.

4.6 USBs with the Application Documents uploaded will also be available to take away at Tickton Village Hall (Main Street, Tickton, HU17 9RZ) from Tuesday 8 April to Friday 30 May 2025 when the village hall is open.

4.7 The Application Documents can be supplied in hard copy format on request at a cost of £0.35 per page (up to a maximum of £4,200 for the full suite of documents).

5 MAKING REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 Any person may make representation on the Application to the Secretary of State (i.e. give notice of any interest in, or objection to, the Application) during the representation period. Representations must be made directly to the Planning Inspectorate. By submitting a representation you will become an Interested Person, which gives you the right to make further representations about the Application during the examination process.

5.2 Representations must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form and give the grounds on which it is made. The Registration and Relevant Representation Form will be made available by the Inspectorate once the registration/relevant representation period has opened on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://nationalinfrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010157  

5.3 Forms completed in hard-copy should be sent to The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Directorate, Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN. The Planning Inspectorate reference for the Application (EN010157) should be quoted in any correspondence.

5.4 Please note that Relevant Representations must be received by the Planning Inspectorate by 23:59 on Friday 30 May 2025.

5.5 If you require guidance, or other methods to obtain and complete a copy of the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form, please contact the Planning Inspectorate by telephone 0303 444 5000 or email PeartreeHillSolarFarm@planninginspectorate.gov.uk, quoting the name of the Application (Peartree Hill Solar Farm ) and the Inspectorate’s reference number EN010157.

5.6 The Planning Inspectorate’s guidance Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: How to register to have your say and make a relevant representation provides further guidance on how to register and make a relevant representation and can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-how-to-registerto-have-your-say-and-make-a-relevant-representation 

5.7 Relevant Representations will be made public and will be subject to the Planning Inspectorate’s privacy policy at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-inspectorate-privacy-notices  

Applicant Contact Details
5.8 If you have any questions about the Application Documents or wish to request copies on a USB and/or hard copy, you can email info@peartreehillsolar.co.uk, write to FREEPOST Peartree Hill Solar Farm (no stamp required), or contact the Applicant by telephone on 01482 695 004