Oxfordshire, Application For A Development Consent Order For A Proposed Solar Farm Project

BOTLEY WEST SOLAR FARM

Application for a Development Consent Order for the proposed Botley West Solar Farm project.

Planning Inspectorate Reference Number: EN010147.

Notification of Hearings under Rule 13(6) Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010

1. 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 for Energy Security and Net Zero (the “Secretary of State”)) for the examination of the application made by Photovolt Development Partners GmbH (PVDP) on behalf of SolarFive Ltd (Company No. 12612041) of 16 Great Queen Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2B 5AH (the “Applicant”) for a Development Consent Order (“DCO”) under Sections 14, 15 and 37 of the Planning Act 2008 (the “Application”).

2. The Application was submitted to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate on 15 November 2023 and accepted for examination on 13 December 2023. The Examining Authority was appointed to examine the Application.

The Planning Inspectorate Reference is EN010147. The Examining Authority was appointed on 28 January 2025 to examine the Application.

1. Interested Parties wishing to speak at the Hearing(s) listed above should notify the Planning Inspectorate in writing by 16 April 2025 via the Botley West Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147

2. If you require assistance with registering your attendance, please contact the Case Team at BotleyWestSolar@planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by calling 0303 444 5000. The Planning Inspectorate reference for the Application (EN010147) should be quoted in any correspondence.

3. The Hearings will also be held as virtual events, and it will be possible to join them via any standard internet browser or via landline/ mobile telephone. Full instructions on how to join online or by telephone will be provided in advance to those who have pre-registered to speak. Live streams will also be provided for each Hearing for those who wish to watch but not speak. The link for this will be available on the day at: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147

4. Further information regarding the Hearings, the examination of the Application, the full timetable (and amendments), how and when to register to speak at the Hearings and how and when to make written submissions, will also be available on the project page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website (link above), or by contacting the Planning Inspectorate (details above).

5. Please note that Hearings will be recorded, and the recordings will be published on the Botley West Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website as soon as practicable after each Hearing has taken place.

6. Any further Hearings (if required) will be publicised as required by the Planning Inspectorate and by the Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010.

Summary of the Proposed Development

1. The Application is for development consent to construct, operate, maintain and decommission a solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generating facility with a capacity of 840 megawatts (MW) and export connection to the National Grid. The Proposed Development will accommodate ground mounted PV generating stations (incorporating solar arrays); grid connection infrastructure (cable route corridors, accesses and environmental mitigation and enhancement measures.

2. Botley West Solar Farm (the “Proposed Development”) extends from an area of land in the north situated between the A4260 and the Dorn River Valley near Tackley and Worton (Northern Site Area), through a central section, situated broadly between Bladon and Cassington (Central Site Area), and connecting to a section further south near to Farmoor Reservoir and north of Cumnor (Southern Site Area), where the Proposed Development will connect to the National Grid transmission network. A map showing the location of the Proposed Development can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website via the following link: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN010147/EN010147-000036-EN010147_APP_8.29%20-%20Location%20Plan.pdf

3. Development consent is required to the extent that development is or forms part of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) pursuant to sections 14(1)(a) and 15(2) of the Planning Act 2008, as an onshore generating station in England with a capacity greater than 50 MW. It is for this reason that the Proposed Development falls within the remit of the Secretary of State’s decision-making powers.

4. The DCO, if granted, would authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, to be used or used permanently and temporarily. The DCO would also authorise alterations to the layout of streets, the construction of accesses to the Proposed Development, the temporary stopping up and management of the public rights of way, street works, removal of hedgerows and the application and disapplication of legislation.

Inspection of the Application form and accompanying documents

1. The Application form and its accompanying documents (including maps and plans, the Environmental Statement, Non-Technical Summary and the draft DCO (the “Application Documents”), can be viewed and downloaded free of charge on the Botley West Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147/documents.

2. An electronic copy of the Application Documents can be supplied free of charge on a USB stick by request. Please email info@botleywest.co.uk, write to FREEPOST BWSF (no stamp required), or telephone 0808 175 3085.

3. The full suite of Application Documents can be made available in hard copy format on request. Given the size and nature of the Application documents, a full set of documents may be subject to a reasonable copying charge. If you would like to request copies of individual documents or parts of the full suite of documents, where these exist, the Applicant can discuss and agree details of availability, format and a reasonable copying charge.

4. If you require alternative methods for inspection of the Application Documents (for example in large print, audio or braille formats), please contact the Applicant by telephone 0808 175 3085 or email: info@botleywest.co.uk.

Contact us

1. Further information can be obtained from the Applicant using the contact details provided.