The Project
Development process
Lime Down Solar Park is anticipated as being able to deliver up to 500MW of electricity. As its generation capacity exceeds 50MW, it is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).
The development consenting regime for an NSIP comes under the Planning Act 2008. This means that we need to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to build, operate and decommission Lime Down Solar Park to the Planning Inspectorate rather than the local planning authority.
In the case of energy related NSIPs, the Planning Inspectorate acts on behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero. The Planning Inspectorate will carry out an examination of our application and then make a final recommendation to the Secretary of State on whether to grant consent. The Secretary of State will make the final decision on whether to grant consent for Lime Down Solar Park.
We expect the development process, including DCO submission and examination, to span two to three years. We intend to submit our application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate in late 2025. Subject to obtaining consent, the earliest construction would start is 2027.
You can find more information about the application process for NSIP projects on the Planning Inspectorate website here.
