Green Hill Solar Farm - Authorisation Of Compulsory Acquisition

NOTICE OF COMPULSORY ACQUISITION UNDER SECTION 134(7) OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008
THE GREEN HILL SOLAR FARM ORDER 2026
NOTICE OF AUTHORISATION OF COMPULSORY ACQUISITION

The above Order, made under the Planning Act 2008 by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and published on 08 October 2026 includes provision authorising the compulsory acquisition of land, of existing rights over land, and of rights over land by creating new rights over it, as described in Schedule 1 and more particularly described in the Order.
The Order includes provision authorising the acquisition for the purpose of the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of Green Hill Solar Farm, a ground mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) generating station with a gross electrical output capacity over 100 megawatts (MW) and associated development including a battery energy storage system, substations, grid connection infrastructure, underground electrical cabling to provide connection to the National Grid substation at Grendon, access improvements, areas of mitigation and landscaping and biodiversity enhancements ("the Scheme"), on land that lies within the administrative areas of West Northamptonshire Council, North Northamptonshire Council and Milton Keynes City Council.
A copy of the Order and Statement of Reasons has been deposited at the locations listed below and may be inspected during the viewing times listed below:
Venue name and location
Opening times
Wellingborough Library, Pebble Lane, Wellingborough, NN8 1AS
Tel: 0300 126 3000
Monday – Friday - 9:00am – 6:00pm Saturday - 9:00am – 5.00pm Sunday - Closed
Earls Barton Community Library, 27 Broad Street, Earls Barton, Northampton NN6 0ND
Tel: 01933 231 527
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - 2:00pm – 5:00pm Wednesday - 10:00am – 1:00pm Saturday - 10:00am – 12:00pm
Sunday - Closed
Olney Library, The Olney Centre & Library, High Street, Olney MK46 4EF
Tel: 01234 711474
Monday – Closed Tuesday - 11:00am – 5:30pm Wednesday – 10:00am – 2:30pm Thursday – 10:00am – 4:30pm
Friday – 1:00pm – 5:30pm Saturday – 10:00am – 1:00pm Sunday - Closed
A copy of the Order, together with copies of the Secretary of State's decision letter (containing the Statement of Reasons), the Examining Authority's report of its recommendations, the book of reference and the land plans (as defined in Article 2 of the Order) are available to view online through the Planning Inspectorate’s website: national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010170
And a link can also be found on Green Hill Solar Farm Limited's website: greenhillsolar.co.uk
A hard copy of the Order and Statement of Reasons is also available on request, by contacting Green Hill Solar Farm Limited:
By Email:

info@greenhillsolar.co.uk

By Phone: 0800 012 9882
A person aggrieved by the Order may challenge the Order only in accordance with section 118 of the Planning Act 2008, which stipulates that any proceeding must be brought by filing a claim form for judicial review before the end of the period of 6 weeks beginning with the day after the day on which the Order was published (or, if later, the day on which the statement of reasons for making the Order is published).
Once the provision in the Order authorising compulsory acquisition comes into force, Green Hill Solar Farm Limited may acquire any of the land (including any existing rights and / or new rights or impose restrictive covenants) described in Schedule 1 below by executing a general vesting declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981. A statement on the effect of Parts 2 and 3 of that Act is set out in Schedule 2.
Any person who would be entitled to claim compensation if a general vesting declaration were executed is invited to give Green Hill Solar Farm Limited at Unit 25.7 Coda Studios 189 Munster Road, London, SW6 6AW information about the person's name, address and interest in land, using a prescribed form. The prescribed form is set out in Schedule 3.
SCHEDULE 1
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND, EXISTING RIGHTS AND THE NEW RIGHTS
The Order land (as defined in Article 2 of the Order) is shown on the land plans (as defined in Article 2 of the Order) and a short textual description of each numbered plot (as identified on the land plans) is included in the in the book of reference (as defined in Article 2 of the Order).
A summary description of the Order land is set out below:
Ground mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) generating stations (incorporating the solar arrays, inverters, transformers, onsite substations and onsite cabling) on land parcels described as Green Hill A, A.2, B, C, D, E, F and G.
Green Hill A and A.2 are located in the parishes of Old Walgrave and in the administrative area of West Northamptonshire, approximately 600m north of Walgrave.
Green Hill B is located within the parish of Holcot and in the administrative area of West Northamptonshire, approximately 1.2km northeast of Moulton.
Green Hill C is located within parishes of Sywell and Mears Ashby and in the administrative area of North Northamptonshire, approximately 1km northeast of Sywell.
Green Hill D is located within the parish of Mears Ashby and in the administrative area of North Northamptonshire, 240m east of Green Hill C.
Green Hill E is located within the parishes of Mears Ashby and Wilby in the administrative area of North Northamptonshire, east of Mears Ashby and approximately 500m north of Earls Barton.
Green Hill F is located within the parishes of Easton Maudit and Bozeat in the administrative area of North Northamptonshire, to the north, east and south of Easton Maudit and approximately 300m west of the village of Bozeat.
Green Hill G is located within the parishes of Warrington and Lavendon in the administrative area of Milton Keynes, approximately 500m northwest of Lavendon.
A battery energy storage facility on land parcels described as the Green Hill BESS and/or Green Hill C sites, within the parish of Grendon and in the administrative area of North Northamptonshire, approximately 600m northwest of Grendon;
Onsite substations, including three up to 400kV substations located within Green Hill BESS and Green Hill C and Green Hill G, up to 132kV substations on Green Hill A, B, E and F, and 33kV substations on Green Hill A.2 and D.
Grid connection cable works from the Sites to the point of connection at the National Electricity Transmission Network at the Grendon Substation.
Permissive paths in Green Hill A, Green Hill A.2, Green Hill D, Green Hill E, Green Hill F and Green Hill G.
Habitat management areas providing native planting, woodland and new hedgerow planting across the Sites; and
Temporary construction laydown areas including car parking, site and welfare offices associated with the construction of the Green Hill Solar Farm and works to facilitate temporary construction access and permanent maintenance access to the solar PV generating stations and grid connection cable, to be located within each Site, and at locations along the route of the grid connection cable.
In respect of the Order land, Green Hill Solar Farm Limited may acquire under the powers granted in the Order:
a) so much of the Order land as is specified by Article 21 (compulsory acquisition of land) of the Order for the authorised development (as defined in Article 2 of the Order), or to facilitate it, or as is incidental to it; and
b) such rights over the Order land, by creating them as well as by acquiring rights already in existence, and impose restrictions affecting part of the Order land, as is authorised by Article 24 (compulsory acquisition of rights) of the Order; and
c) so much of, or such rights in, the subsoil of the Order land as is authorised by Article 29 (acquisition of subsoil only) of the Order.
The new rights to be created and restrictions to be imposed related to:
1) Rights of access and rights to construct, improve and use new and existing accesses;
2) Rights required for the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the underground cabling;
3) Rights required for the construction, operation and maintenance of services and drains;
4) Rights to install and maintain landscaping and ecological measures;
5) Rights to install and maintain boundary treatment and security infrastructure; and
6) Imposition of restrictions as is necessary in order to prevent the obstruction, interruption or interference of the exercise of the rights.
In respect of the Order land, the Order includes powers to suspend or extinguish any private rights that would be inconsistent with the exercise of the powers under the Order, subject to the terms of Article 25 (private rights) of the Order, and to override existing easements and other rights, subject to the terms of Article 27 (power to override easements and other rights) of the Order.
Green Hill Solar Farm Limited may temporarily use the Order land (including so much of the Order land as is shown edged red and shaded pink, shaded blue and shaded yellow) to carry out the authorised development (as defined in Article 2 of the Order) pursuant to Article 31 of the Order and may temporarily use the Order land to maintain the authorised development pursuant to Article 32 of the Order.
SCHEDULE 2
STATEMENT OF EFFECT OF PARTS 2 AND 3 OF THE COMPULSORY PURCHASE (VESTING DECLARATIONS) ACT 1981
Power to execute a general vesting declaration
1. Once the provision in The Green Hill Solar Farm Order 2026 which authorises compulsory acquisition comes into force, Green Hill Solar Farm Limited may acquire any of the land and may acquire new rights and existing rights and/or impose restrictive covenants over any of the land described in Schedule 1 above by executing a general vesting declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 (“the Act”). This has the effect, subject to paragraphs 3 and 5 below, of vesting the land, new rights, existing rights and/or restrictive covenants over land in Green Hill Solar Farm Limited at the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 2 below.
Notices concerning general vesting declaration
2. As soon as may be after Green Hill Solar Farm Limited executes a general vesting declaration, it must serve notice of it on every occupier of any of the land specified in the declaration (except land where there is one of the tenancies described in paragraph 4) and on every person who gives it information relating to the land in pursuance of the invitation contained in the notice of the authorisation of the compulsory acquisition. When the service of notices of the general vesting declaration is completed, a period specified in the declaration, of not less than three months, will begin to run. On the first day after the end of this period the land described in the declaration will, subject to what is said in paragraphs 3 and 5, vest in Green Hill Solar Farm Limited together with the right to enter on the land and take possession of it. Every person on whom Green Hill Solar Farm Limited could have served a notice to treat in respect of his interest in the land (other than a tenant under one of the tenancies described in paragraph 4) will be entitled to claim compensation for the acquisition of his interest in the land, with interest on the compensation from the vesting date.
3. The “Vesting Date” for any land specified in a declaration will be the first day after the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 2 above unless a counter-notice is served under Schedule A1 to the Act within that period. In such circumstances, the vesting date for the land which is the subject of the counter-notice will be determined in accordance with Schedule A1.
Modifications with respect to certain tenancies
4. In the case of certain tenancies, the position stated above is subject to modifications. The modifications apply where the tenancy is either a “minor tenancy”, i.e. a tenancy for a year or a yearly tenancy or a lesser interest, or “a long tenancy which is about to expire”. The latter expression means a tenancy granted for an interest greater than a minor tenancy but having on the vesting date a period still to run which is not more than the period specified in the declaration for this purpose (which must be more than a year). In calculating how long a tenancy has still to run, where any option to renew or to terminate it is available to either party, it shall be assumed that the landlord will take every opportunity open to him/her to terminate the tenancy while the tenant will use every opportunity to retain or renew his interest.
5. The modifications are that Green Hill Solar Farm Limited may not exercise the right of entry referred to in paragraph 2 in respect of land subject to a tenancy described in paragraph 4 unless it first serves notice to treat in respect of the tenancy and then serves every occupier of the land with a notice of its intention to enter and take possession after the period (not less than three months from the service of the notice) specified in the notice. The right of entry will be exercisable at the end of that period. The vesting of the land will be subject to the tenancy until the end of that period or until the tenancy comes to an end, whichever happens first.