FVS DEAN MOOR

SECTIONS 42, 47 AND 48 OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008 (‘THE 2008 ACT’)

REGULATION 4, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009 (‘THE 2009 REGULATIONS’)

DEAN MOOR SOLAR FARM

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION OF A STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION AND NOTICE PUBLICISING A PROPOSED APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that FVS DEAN MOOR (‘the Applicant’), a joint venture between Ib Vogt UK Limited, of 127 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6BT and Firma Energy Limited of 7 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5HD proposes to make an application (‘the Application’) under section 37 of the 2008 Act to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero for a Development Consent Order (‘DCO’) to construct and operate a Solar Farm with a 150 megawatts (‘MW’) export capacity, combined with a 100MW Battery Energy Storage System (‘BESS’) on approximately 270 hectares (‘ha’) of land located between the villages of Gilgarran and Branthwaite in West Cumbria (the ‘Development’), which is situated within the administrative area of Cumberland Council.

Under section 47 of the 2008 Act, the Applicant has a duty to consult the local community in accordance with a Statement of Community Consultation (‘SoCC’), which sets out how the Applicant will undertake its consultation. This notice publicises where and when the SoCC can be inspected, pursuant to section 47(6)(a).

Additionally, the Applicant has a duty to publicise the proposed application under section 48 of the 2008 Act in line with Regulation 4 of the 2009 Regulations. In accordance with those provisions, this notice also summarises the main proposals and explains where the consultation documents can be viewed.

Summary of Proposed Works

The proposed DCO application is a nationally significant infrastructure project (‘NSIP’) under the 2008 Act and the application will be determined by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero or her successor.  If the application is successful, the Secretary of State will grant the DCO in respect of the application.

The Development comprises the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning of a solar photovoltaic (‘PV’) energy generating station with an export capacity of up to 150MW into the local electricity distribution network. The generating station would also involve the construction and operation of up to 100MW of BESS.

The principal components comprise the following:

(a) Solar PV modules;

(b) PV module mounting structures;

(c) Solar Inverters-Transformers;

(d) BESS equipment comprising Battery Units, Power Conversion System (‘PCS’) Units, and associated infrastructure;

(e) Point of Connection (‘POC’) infrastructure comprising customer and Distribution Network Operator (‘DNO’) substation buildings and external electrical equipment within a weld mesh security fence;

(f) Perimeter Fencing (deer fence), Gates, CCTV cameras, on-site cabling, and other associated infrastructure;

(g) Access from the highway and internal access tracks; and

(h) Landscape planting and ecological enhancements.

The proposed project is Environmental Impact Assessment development (‘EIA development’), as defined by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. This means that the proposed works constitute development for which Environmental Impact Assessment is required. An Environmental Statement will therefore be submitted as part of the proposed application containing information about the environmental effects of the proposed development. Preliminary environmental information can be found in the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (‘PEIR’), which forms part of the consultation material.

Details of the consultation documents include—

• the SoCC

• Guide to Statutory Consultation document

• PEIR (including non-technical summary of the PEIR)

• Consultation Booklet

• Feedback Form

The consultation runs from Monday 11 March to Friday 26 April 2024 and during this period you can view and download the consultation documents via the Applicant’s project website at http://www.deanmoorsolarfarm.com/  The SoCC will also be available to view on the project website from Monday 11 March 2024, and hard copies of it can be obtained on request via the email, telephone number and freepost addresses given at the end of this notice.

You are encouraged to view the consultation documents by downloading them from the Applicant’s website but should you require an alternative method for inspecting the consultation documents or require a free USB memory stick then please telephone 0800 041 8643 or email info@deanmoorsolarfarm.com. Any details you provide to us via the telephone or e-mail will be subject to our privacy policy at http://www.deanmoorsolarfarm.com/privacy-policy. We will make every effort that is reasonable in the circumstances to allow you to inspect the documents.

Public webinar events

You can also attend one of our public consultation webinar events, which we are holding on selected evenings throughout the consultation period. Members of the project team will present proposals and will be happy to answer questions. Dates and times, and details of how to register for a webinar, will be published on our website and will be kept up-to date throughout the consultation period. There will be a minimum of two one-hour webinar events during the consultation period.

Charges for purchasing hard copies

The full suite of printed consultation documents will be made available for purchase at the cost of up to £500 plus postage. All document requests are limited to one per household or organisation. Copies of the printed documents or of the free USB memory stick can be obtained by emailing info@deanmoorsolarfarm.com, by writing to FREEPOST: DEAN MOOR SOLAR FARM, or by telephoning 0800 041 8643 Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:30.

Comments on the proposals can be made in the following ways—

• Online: complete or download the Feedback Form at the project website: http://www.deanmoorsolarfarm.com/;

• By email or post: completed Feedback Forms, and any other comments, can be emailed to info@deanmoorsolarfarm.com or returned by post to FREEPOST: DEAN MOOR SOLAR FARM.

COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 23:59 ON FRIDAY 26 APRIL 2024.

Responses should state the ground of representation, the nature of your interest in the proposed project, indicate who is making it, and provide an address to which any correspondence relating to the representation may be sent.

Personal information that is supplied to the Applicant in response to this consultation will be treated confidentially and processed and handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The information may be disclosed to or shared with the Applicant’s connected companies, agents, contractors and advisors who provide services to the Applicant in connection with the preparation of an application for development consent under the 2008 Act. This will allow the Applicant to fully consider the responses and use them in the preparation of application materials. Upon submission of the Applicant’s application for development consent under the 2008 Act or in connection with any related applications by the Applicant for consents or licences, the Secretary of State may require the Applicant to supply copies of all consultation responses received. If a request is made, the Applicant is under a legal obligation to supply such copies. By submitting a consultation response to the Applicant, a respondent agrees that we may supply a copy of their response to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate if required to do so.

How to contact us:

If you have any questions about this consultation, please contact the project team by:

• Email: info@deanmoorsolarfarm.com

• Post: write to us at FREEPOST: DEAN MOOR SOLAR FARM

• Telephone: 0800 041 8643 Monday to Friday 09:00–17:30

28 February 2024