North Wiltshire, Application for Planning Consent for Solar & Storage Development

SECTION 56 OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008

REGULATION 9 OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009.

REGULATION 16 OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) REGULATIONS 2017.

Notice of Acceptance of an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) by the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State) under Section 56 of the Planning Act 2008.

Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State has accepted an application (the “Application”) by Lime Down Solar Park Limited (Company registration number 13211532) of Unit 25 Coda Studios, 189 Munster Road, London, England SW6 6AW (the “Applicant”) for a DCO under the Planning Act 2008.

The Application (Reference number: EN010168) was submitted by the Applicant to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate on 19 September 2025 and was accepted for examination on 17 October 2025.

Summary of the Scheme

The Application is for development consent to construct, operate, maintain and decommission a solar photovoltaic (PV) generating station, with a generating capacity of more than 50 megawatts (MW) and associated infrastructure (“Scheme”).

The Scheme will comprise:

• Five solar array sites, Lime Down A, B, C, D, E (collectively the Solar PV Sites) located in Wiltshire which lie to the north of the M4, southwest of Malmesbury, between the villages of Alderton, Luckington, Sherston, Foxley, Norton, Corston, Startley, Upper Seagry, Lower Stanton St Quintin, and Hullavington;

• The Solar PV Sites will include solar panels, conversion units, inverters, and up to four 132kV substation located in Lime Down A, C, D and E. There will be one 400kV substation located within Lime Down D;

• One Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) areas, located within Lime Down D;

• A Cable Route Corridor within which underground export connection cables would be located to connect the Solar PV Sites to the National Grid at the existing Melksham Substation, as well as connecting each of the Solar PV Sites; and

• Associated infrastructure, mitigation and enhancement measures, and other ancillary works, for example, fencing, security, local grid connections, temporary access roads, permanent means of access, highway works, temporary works compounds and work sites.

The Scheme is located largely within the administrative area of Wiltshire Council, with small areas of existing highway within the administrative area of South Gloucestershire Council. The Solar PV Sites are located across several parishes:

• Lime Down A is located within the civil parish of Sherston, approximately 300 metres south of Sherston;

• Lime Down B is located within the civil parish of Norton, approximately 3 km southwest of Malmesbury;

• Lime Down C is located across the civil parishes of Sherston, Luckington, Hullavington and Norton, approximately 830 meters east of Luckington;

• Lime Down D, which incorporates the proposed BESS area, is located across the civil parishes of Norton and Hullavington, approximately 480 meters west of Corston and 700 meters north of Hullavington; and

• Lime Down E is located within the civil parish of St Paul Malmesbury Without, approximately 800 meters northwest of Rodbourne.

A map showing the location of the Scheme can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website at the following link: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010168

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), 15(1) and 15(2) of the Planning Act 2008. As an onshore generating station in England with a capacity greater than 50MW, the Scheme falls within the remit of the Secretary of State’s decision-making powers.

The DCO, if granted, would authorise:

• Construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the solar PV electricity generating station and associated development including grid connection and energy storage facility;

• Alterations to the layout of streets, the construction of accesses to the Scheme, the temporary stopping up or management of the public rights of way and streets;

• Compulsory acquisition of land, including interests in land, rights over land and imposition of restrictions, powers to override, suspend or extinguish rights over land and powers for the temporary use of land;

• The application, modification and/or disapplication of legislation including legislation relating to compulsory purchase and landlord and tenant; and

• Such ancillary, incidental and consequential provisions, licences, property rights, permits and consents as are necessary and/or convenient.

The Scheme 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 constitute development for which an EIA is required. The Application is therefore accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES) which provides a detailed description of the Scheme and its likely significant environmental effects.

Application Form and Accompanying Documents

The Application form and its accompanying documents (including plans, maps, the ES, and the draft Order (the “Application Documents”)) can be viewed and downloaded free of charge online on the Lime Down Solar Park page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website under the Documents tab until at least the end of the Relevant Representation period on Friday 09 January 2026: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010168/documents

This link will also be available on the Applicant’s website: www.limedownsolar.co.uk

An electronic copy of the Application Documents can be supplied free of charge on a USB memory stick. To request a USB, please email info@limedownsolar.co.uk

, write to FREEPOST Lime Down Solar (free of charge; you do not need a stamp) or telephone 0808 175 6656 (free of charge).

Hard copies of the Application Documents may be requested by contacting the Applicant on FREEPHONE 0808 175 6656 or by email at info@limedownsolar.co.uk

. Requests for documents in an alternative format such as large print or audio for those with visual impairments or in an alternative language for those who do not speak English as a first language will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests for multiple copies of these documents will be considered on a case-by-case basis and a reasonable charge may apply to cover printing and postage costs.

Requests for a printed hard copy of the full suite of Application Documents will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To cover printing and postage costs, a charge of up to £5,000 may apply.

A non-technical summary (NTS) of the ES is contained within the Application Documents and provides a concise description of the Scheme, the alternatives considered, baseline assessment methodology, potential effects and proposed mitigation measures. It is designed to provide information on the Scheme in an accessible format using non-technical language which can be understood by a wide audience to assist Interested Parties with their familiarisation of the Scheme.

A hard copy of the ES NTS will be available for inspection free of charge from 30 October 2025 to 09 January 2026 at the local venues listed below.

*Opening hours can change, and documents may only be available for inspection or viewing on a computer during staffed hours. This table therefore lists staffed opening hours only, when it is possible to request assistance from a member of the library team to provide access to the document or computer. We recommend contacting the venues prior to visiting to confirm opening hours and document availability.

Making Representations

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 objection to, the Application) must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form. The Registration and Relevant Representation Form can be accessed and completed online on the Lime Down Solar Park page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010168

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If you require guidance, or other methods to obtain and complete a hard copy of the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form, please telephone 0303 444 5000. Completed forms should be sent to The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Directorate, Temple Quay House, Bristol BS1 6PN. The Application reference (EN010168) should be quoted in any correspondence.

The Planning Inspectorate’s Advice Page: How to register to have your say and make a relevant representation, provides further guidance on how to register and make a relevant representation and can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nationally-significant-infrastructure-projects-how-to-register-to-have-your-say-and-make-a-relevant-representation

Please note that representations must be received by the Planning Inspectorate on or before

11:59pm on Friday 09 January 2026.

It should be noted that personal data, such as the name of persons over 18, will be published alongside a representation. If you do not wish personal data to be made publicly available, you should state why when submitting the representation. If necessary, the Planning Inspectorate will publish the representations with your name and personal data redacted. Please note that all representation submitted will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website and will be subject to their privacy policy, found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-inspectorate-privacy-notices/customer-privacy-notice

Contacting the Applicant

To contact the Applicant for further information or queries about the Application, please call 0808 175 6656 (free of charge); write to: FREEPOST LIME DOWN SOLAR (no stamp or further details required); email: info@limedownsolar.co.uk or visit www.limedownsolar.co.uk