Peartree Hill Solar Farm - Planning Applications For Development Management Procedure

Planning Act 2008
Regulations 7 and 8 of the Infrastructure Planning (Compulsory Acquisition) Regulations 2010 (as amended)
Notice of Proposed Provision for the Compulsory Acquisition of Additional Land Peartree Hill Solar Farm Development Consent Order Planning Inspectorate Reference No: EN010157

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’) under Section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 for a Development Consent Order (‘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. The examination of the Application by an Examining Authority appointed by the Secretary of State is ongoing. 
1.2 On 10 September 2025, the Applicant submitted to the Secretary of State (via the Examining Authority) requests for the DCO to include authorisation for the compulsory acquisition of rights over additional land (“the Proposed Provisions”).

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

3 Summary of Proposed Provisions
3.1 Since the Application was accepted for examination, the Applicant has identified that “Additional Land” within the meaning of the Infrastructure Planning (Compulsory Acquisition) Regulations 2010 (“the 2010 Regulations”) is required to accommodate certain changes to the Proposed Development.
3.2 As required by the 2010 Regulations, the Applicant has submitted the Proposed Provisions to the Examining Authority appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State to consider the Application and the Examining Authority has now made procedural decisions accepting these Proposed Provisions as part of the Application. Details of the Proposed Provisions are set out below.
3.3 An initial notification of a proposed change to the application was submitted to the Examining Authority on 6 August 2025 [Additional Submission AS-015] which is also found at https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ published-documents/EN010157-000284-Covering%20Letter%20-%20 Peartree%20Hill%20change%20notification%20-%20August%202025.pdf.
3.4 The notification included details of seven proposed changes, six of which required “Additional Land” (referred to as Changes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 in the notification of change dated 6 August 2025) within the meaning of the 2010 Regulations. These changes are referred to as Proposed Provision One to Six in this notice.
3.5 The Change Application was submitted to the Examining Authority on 10 September 2025. All the changes are detailed in the Change Application [REP2-149] and accompanying Land Plans (Revision 4) [REP2-052] which also identify the additional land.
3.6     The Change Application [REP2-149] are available on the Planning Inspectorate website at https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/publisheddocuments/EN010157-000562-8.9%20Change%20Application%20 (September%202025).pdf.
3.7     The Land Plans [REP2-052] are available on the Planning Inspectorate website at https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/published-documents/ EN010157-000470-2.4%20Land%20Plans%20Revision%204.pdf.

4 Proposed provision one
4.1 Proposed Provision One (referred to as Change 3 in the Change Application) involves the creation of a revised access point and permanent means of access on the western side of the A165 to aid the laying of cable between the solar array areas and for maintenance of the cable during operation of the Proposed Development. Additional land needs to be included in the Order Limits to ensure that this access can be provided. 

5 Proposed provision two
5.1 Proposed Provision Two (referred to as Change 4 in the Change Application) relates to the access arrangements for constructing the cable route on Hull Road/Williams Way A1174 and for maintenance during operation of the Proposed Development. Additional land needs to be included in the Order Limits to ensure that adequate visibility and manoeuvring space for vehicles entering and exiting the site are provided. 

6 Proposed provision three
6.1 Proposed Provision Three (referred to as Change 5 in the Change Application) relates to the access arrangement for constructing the cable route on Long Lane and for maintenance during operation of the Proposed Development. Additional land needs to be included in the Order Limits to ensure that adequate visibility and manoeuvring space for vehicles entering and exiting the site are provided. 

7 Proposed provision four
7.1 Proposed Provision Four (referred to as Change 6 in the Change Application) relates to the addition of land to the Order Limits for access to the proposed grid connection cable route on the approach to Creyke Beck substation. 
This additional land is required to ensure there is appropriate access to the cable route for cable laying during construction and continued access to the cable route during operation for cable maintenance. 

8 Proposed provision five
8.1 Proposed Provision Five (referred to as Change 8 in the Change Application) relates to the addition of land to the Order Limits to the north of the Beverley South Western Bypass (A1079) to enable a section of the grid connection cable route to be routed through land not previously identified as part of our proposals. The additional land will mean that the cable can be constructed and maintained in that new location.

9 Proposed provision six
9.1 Proposed Provision Six (referred to as Change 9 in the Change Application) relates to the addition of land to the Order Limits to facilitate a new access to Land Areas D and E from the A1035. This will provide an alternative means of access during the construction and operation of the Proposed Development, in turn reducing the amount of traffic which has to use Meaux Lane during construction.

10 Consultation on the proposed provisions
10.1 The Applicant carried out a targeted Persons with an Interest in Land (PILS) and prescribed consultee consultation between 21 July and 20 August 2025 in respect of Proposed Provision One, Two, Three and Five and between 6 August and 5 September 2025 in respect of Proposed Provision Six. 
The Applicant wrote to each of the parties providing details of the changes and plans for the proposed changes, alongside the original plan submitted with the DCO application. 
10.2 The Applicant has been unable to identify those with an interest in the plot impacted by Proposed Provision Four, having contacted both East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Network Rail. A site notice was therefore put up regarding the change from 22 July 2025 to 20 August 2025. 
10.3 Following the conclusion of the consultation, the Applicant submitted a Change Application to the Planning Inspectorate on 10 September 2025, which included details of Proposed Provision One to Six in the form of an updated Book of Reference [REP2-068], accompanied by land plans [REP2-052] identifying the additional land, and a Statement of Reasons [REP2-066] as to why the additional land is required.

A consultation report [REP2-150] was also submitted as part of the Change Application, together with further documents (including a revised draft Development Consent Order [REP2-062]) incorporating changes as a result of Proposed Provisions One to Six. These documents are available to view under the ‘documents’ tab of the Planning Inspectorate website at: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ projects/EN010157.
10.4 The Change Application [REP2-149] is also available on the Planning Inspectorate website at https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ published-documents/EN010157-000562-8.9%20Change%20Application%20 (September%202025).pdf.
10.5 On 19 September 2025, the Examining Authority made a Procedural Decision [PD-011] accepting the Proposed Provisions as part of the Application.
This can be found at https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ published-documents/EN010157-000599-Change%20request%202%20 response%20FINAL.pdf. 
10.6 The Examining Authority also published a checklist setting out how the requirements of regulation 5 of the 2010 Regulations had been complied with [PD-012].
This can be found at https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ published-documents/EN010157-000598-Change%20request%202%20 proposed%20provision%20checklist%20FINAL%20(1).pdf.

11 Statement of Reasons relating to the Additional Land
11.1 The Additional Land is required in order to implement the changes to the Proposed Development described above.
11.2 Further information is provided in the Statement of Reasons included with the Change Application submitted by the Applicant on 10 September 2025 [REP2-066] which is also found at: https://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ published-documents/EN010157-000481-4.1%20Statement%20of%20 Reasons%20(clean)%20Revision%204.pdf.

12 Funding Statement relating to the Additional Land
12.1 The Additional Land proposed to be subject to compulsory acquisition has no impact on the funding statement for the Project.
12.2 Further information is provided in paragraph 11.1.7 of the Change Application submitted by the Applicant on 10 September 2025 [REP2-149].

13 How to view the Proposed Provisions
13.1 A copy of the Proposed Provisions, the map, the revised draft Development Consent Order and any information submitted with the Proposed Provisions are available for inspection free of charge on the Planning Inspectorate website (maintained on behalf of the Secretary of State). These documents are available under the ‘documents’ section of the Planning Inspectorate website at: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ projects/EN010157 The documents will remain available until the end of the ongoing examination.
13.2 Further information about the Proposed Provisions may be obtained from the Applicant as follows 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.
13.3 Printed copies of the documents submitted in support of Proposed Provisions are available 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).

14 Making representations about the Proposed Provisions
14.1 The period for making representations starts on 25 September 2025 and will end at 23.59 on 29 October 2025.
14.2 Any representations (giving notice of any interest in the land affected by the Proposed Provisions) must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration Form and give the grounds on which it is made. The Registration Form will be made available by the Planning Inspectorate on the relevant page for the Application via the National Infrastructure website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ projects/EN010157.
14.3     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. 
14.4 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. 
14.5 Representations must be received by the Planning Inspectorate no later than 29 October 2025. Please note that all representations submitted to the Planning Inspectorate will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website and 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.

15 Applicant Contact Details
15.1 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.