Isles Of Scilly - Planning Applications For Development

Notice Of Acceptance Of An Application For A Development Consent Order By The Secretary Of State Under Section 56 Of The Planning Act 2008

Beacon Fen Energy Park Development Consent Order
The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms And Procedure) Regulations 2009 - Regulation 9 ‘Publicising An Accepted Application’

The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Regulations 2017 - Regulation 16 ‘Accepted Application - Publicity And
Consultation For Eia Development’

Planning Inspectorate Reference: EN010151

The Application
1. Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State (‘SoS’) for Energy Security and Net Zero has accepted an application (the ‘Application’) for a Development Consent Order (a ‘DCO’) made by Beacon Fen Energy Park Limited (the ‘Applicant’), whose registered office is Stirling Square, 5-7 Carlton Gardens, London, SW1Y 5AD, under Section 55 of The Planning Act 2008 (the ‘PA 2008’). The Application was received by the Planning Inspectorate (who acts on behalf of the SoS) on 8 April 2025 and accepted for examination on 1 May 2025. The reference number assigned to the Application by the Planning Inspectorate is EN010151.

2. The Application is seeking development consent for the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the Beacon Fen Energy Park (the ‘Proposed Development’) on land 6.5km northeast of Sleaford and 2.5km north of Heckington, Lincolnshire (the ‘Site’). 

Summary of the Proposed Development
3. The Proposed Development will be capable of connecting to the national grid by 2030 and provide 400 megawatts (‘MW’) of clean solar energy generation along with a 600MW battery energy storage system, together contributing significantly to meeting the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 targets.

4. The Site lies within the administrative areas of Lincolnshire County Council (‘LCC’), North Kesteven District Council (‘NKDC’) and Boston Borough Council (‘BBC’). It extends to approximately 758 hectares (‘ha’) and comprises three functional areas: the Solar Array Area, the Cable Route Corridor and the Bespoke Access Corridor.

5. The Solar Array Area is approximately 529ha in size, comprising predominantly agricultural land and located wholly within the administrative areas of NKDC and LCC.

6. The Cable Route Corridor is approximately 183 ha in size, comprising predominantly agricultural land and extending c. 13km south-east from the Solar Array Area to Bicker Fen substation, at NGR TF 19684 38599. The Cable Route Corridor is located wholly within the administrative area of LCC and predominantly within the administrative area of NKDC; however, the southern section is located within BBC’s administrative area.

7. The Bespoke Access Corridor comprises an area of 45.4 ha and it is within this corridor that the Bespoke Access Road will be located. The Bespoke Access Corridor predominantly comprises agricultural land, extends c. 3km south-west from the Solar Array Area to the A17 and is located wholly within the administrative areas of LCC and NKDC.

8. The Proposed Development comprises the following elements:
• Work Number (‘Work No.’) 1 - a ground mounted solar photovoltaic generating station with a gross electrical output capacity of over 50 megawatts;

• Work No. 2 - a battery energy storage system compound and associated works (including fire safety infrastructure);

• Work No. 3 - development of an onsite substation and associated works;

• Work No. 4 - works in connection with electrical cabling and associated compounds;

• Work No. 5 - works to the existing Bicker Fen National Grid substation to create a new generation bay and substation extension;

• Work No. 6 - various ancillary works relating to the Solar Array Area, including cabling, fencing, security features, access tracks, watercourse crossings and landscaping and biodiversity mitigation measures;

• Work No. 7 - construction and decommissioning compounds in connection with Work Nos. 1, 2 and 3; 

• Work No. 8 - works to create the Bespoke Access Road;

• Work No. 9 - areas of habitat management;

• Work No. 10 - works to facilitate access to Work Nos. 1 to 9; and

Further associated development comprising such other works or operations as may be necessary or expedient for the purposes of or in connection with the authorised development.

9. All of the above elements are included in the scope of the Application.

10. 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.

The DCO would also authorise alterations to the layout of streets, the construction of accesses to the Proposed Development, the temporary closure and management of public rights of ways, street works, removal of hedgerows, and the application, disapplication and modification of legislation.

Environmental Impact Assessment
11. The Proposed Development is an Environmental impact Assessment (‘EIA’) development, as defined by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. The Application therefore includes an Environmental Statement (‘ES’) documenting the findings of the EIA undertaken.

Inspection of the Application Documents
12. The application form and its accompanying documents, drawings, plans and maps (including the draft DCO and the ES) comprising the Application (the ‘Application Documents’) may be inspected free of charge by downloading them either from the Planning Inspectorate’s website or the Applicant’s website.

13. The Application Documents can be found on the Project Page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website at: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010151/documents  

14. The Application Documents can be found on the Applicant’s website at: https://www.beaconfenenergypark.co.uk/documents/ and will be available until at least the end of the Relevant Representations period at 11:59pm on Wednesday 2 July 2025.

15. Electronic copies of the Application Documents are available to view free of charge at the locations listed below. Each venue has computers with internet access to allow viewing of the Application Documents on the Applicant’s website. The locations are outlined in the table below.

16. For enquiries relating to the Application Documents, and if you require alternative methods for inspecting the Application Documents, please email: info@beaconfenenergypark.co.uk, telephone (03300 571943), or send a letter to FREEPOST Beacon Fen Energy Park. Any details you provide to us will be subject to our Privacy Policy (on the Applicant’s website). If requested, you will be provided with a paper copy of the Application Guide free of charge. 

The full suite of Application Documents can be made available in paper format on request at a cost of £5,000. For any bespoke or specific requests (for example in large print, audio or braille formats) please contact the Applicant using the contact details in this notice leaving sufficient time before the deadline for receipt of Relevant Representations stated below. Copies of individual documents are also available on request and a reasonable copying charge may apply.

Commenting on the Application
17. Becoming an Interested Party gives you the right to make representations about the Application to the Planning Inspectorate. Any person may register as an Interested Party by submitting a Relevant Representation on the Application during the representation period, which must be made directly to the Planning Inspectorate. Any representations (giving notice of any interest in, or objections) about the Application must be made to the Planning Inspectorate using its Registration and Relevant Representation Form, which is available to complete on the Beacon Fen Project Page of the Planning Inspectorate’s Website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010151  

18. If you require guidance on obtaining or completing the Registration and Relevant Representation Form, or you are unable to complete the form online and you would like to register your interest and/or request a hard copy, please telephone the Planning Inspectorate on 0303 444 5000 quoting the name of the Application and the Planning Inspectorate’s reference number EN010151 or email beaconfen@planninginspectorate.gov.uk 

19. Any Registration and Relevant Representation Form must be received by the Planning Inspectorate no later than 11:59pm on Wednesday 2 July 2025.

20. Further information about registering as an Interested Party is available in Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: How to register to have your say and make a relevant representation on the Government Website at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-how-to-register-to-have-yoursay-and-make-a-relevant-representation 

21. 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/customer-privacy-notice    
Beacon Fen Energy Park Limited
May 2025