Norfolk, Application For Development Consent Order For Solar Farm & Battery Storage

SECTION 48 PLANNING ACT 2008 REGULATION 4 INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009

DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER AT HIGH GROVE SOLAR FARM NOTICE PUBLICISING A PROPOSED APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER ("DCO")

Notice is hereby given that RWE Renewables UK Solar and Storage Limited ("the Applicant") of Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon SN5 6PB intends to apply to the Secretary of State under section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 ("the Act") for a Development Consent Order ("DCO") to authorise the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of a solar farm capable of generating over 50MW Alternating Current (AC) of electricity with co-located Battery Energy Storage System ("BESS"), located in the Breckland District, Norfolk (the "Proposed Development").

The Proposed Development will comprise a solar farm capable of generating over 50MW Alternating Current (AC) of electricity. It comprises five distinct Panel Areas covering an area of approximately 1,700 hectares (ha), comprising solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, on-site Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), underground cabling and associated infrastructure including substations and environmental mitigation and enhancement areas. The Proposed Development will also include underground Cable Corridors, which are still being refined, connecting the Panel Areas to one another and to the point of connection. The Proposed Development will have the capacity to generate over 50 Megawatts (MW) of alternating current (AC) electricity. The Proposed Development is located between Narborough and Dereham in the county of Norfolk in the East of England.

While the Proposed Development could include compulsory acquisition powers, the Applicant is seeking to avoid the use of such powers if at all possible.

The Proposed Development is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. This means that the proposed works involved constitute development for which an EIA is required and the proposed application for a DCO will therefore be accompanied by an Environmental Statement. Additionally, the Applicant will be making preliminary environmental information available in the form of a Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR).

Copies of the PEIR, together with a Non-Technical Summary, our Statement of Community Consultation and other consultation documents, plans and maps detailing our consultation process and details of the Proposed Development may be inspected free of charge until 11:59pm on 12 June 2025 on the project website (rwe.com/highgrove).

Copies of the consultation materials may be reasonably requested during the consultation period from the Applicant free of charge (excluding the PEIR which will have a cost of £0.35 per page) using the email address, postal address or telephone number provided below:

• Telephone: 01362 350 063
• Email: info@highgrovesolar.co.uk
• Freepost*: HIGH GROVE SOLAR *No stamp is required.

Any person may comment on the proposals or otherwise respond to this publicity. Responses must be received between Thursday 24 April and Thursday 12 June 2025.

A consultation feedback questionnaire is available as part of the consultation materials, and online at rwe.com/highgrove. When providing your response, please include your name and address, or, if you would prefer your comments to be anonymous, your postcode online. Please supply any response by submitting your completed feedback form online, or by using the contact methods above.

Responses must be received no later than 11.59pm on Thursday 12 June 2025.

The Applicant will consider and have regard to all responses when refining the Proposed Development once the consultation has closed. Responses will form the basis of a Consultation Report that will be one of the factors taken into consideration by the Secretary of State when deciding whether the Application can be accepted for examination. Therefore, in providing any comment, it should be borne in mind that the substance of it may be communicated to others as part of the Consultation Report.

If you would like further information about this notice, the consultation or the Proposed Development, please contact the project team by using one of the contact methods provided above.