Notice of Acceptance of an Application for a Development Consent Order (On Behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Dean Moor Solar Farm Development Consent Order

Planning Inspectorate Reference No: EN010155

Section 56 Planning Act 2008

Regulations 8 and 9 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009

Regulation 16 of The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017

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 FVS Dean Moor Limited (registered company number: 14712545) of 127 Cheapside, London EC2V 6BT (‘the Applicant’) for a Development Consent Order (‘DCO’) under the Planning Act 2008 (‘the Application’). The Application (Reference No. EN010155) was submitted by the Applicant to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate on Wednesday 26 March 2025 and was accepted for examination on Tuesday 15 April 2025.

Summary of the Application 

The DCO would authorise the Dean Moor Solar Farm (‘the Proposed Development’) which comprises the construction, operation (including maintenance), and decommissioning of a solar photovoltaic (‘PV’) energy generating station on approximately 276.5ha of land, located between the villages of Gilgarran and Branthwaite in West Cumbria, which is situated within the administrative area of Cumberland Council.

The principal components of the Proposed Development include:

* Solar PV panels;

* Solar PV array mounting structures;

* Power Conversion System (‘PCS’) in the form of inverters and transformers;

* Grid Connection Infrastructure comprising Customer and DNO Substation buildings and external electrical equipment and ancillary infrastructure within a security fence;

* Perimeter fencing, gates, CCTV cameras, electrical cabling, and other associated infrastructure;

* Access from the highway and internal access tracks; and

* Green Infrastructure including landscape planting and ecological enhancements.

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://nsip-documents.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/published-documents/EN010155-000035-2.1%20Location%20Plan.pdf  

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. 

The DCO, if granted, would authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily. The DCO would also authorise the enhancement of temporary and permanent accesses to the Proposed Development, street works and highway works, and the application and disapplication of certain legislation.  

Environmental Impact Assessment 

Due to its nature and size, the Proposed Development is classified as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. An EIA has therefore been undertaken for the Proposed Development and the Application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement which reports on the EIA.

Application form and accompanying documents 

The Application form and the accompanying documents and plans including the draft DCO, the Environmental Statement and Non-technical Summary (NTS) (‘Application Documents’) can be viewed online, or downloaded free of charge, from the Dean Moor Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website under the Documents tab:  https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010155/documents

The Application Documents will be available on the above website at least until the end of the relevant representation period.

On request, an electronic copy of the Application Documents can also be provided free of charge on a USB memory stick, which will be limited to one USB per household or business. To request a USB, please contact the Applicant using the contact details provided at the end of this notice.

The Application Documents can be supplied in hard copy format but there will be a reasonable charge for paper copies to cover the cost of printing, packaging and postage up to a charge of £1,620.00 (printing, packaging and postage) for a complete set of Application documents.

The Application Documents are available to view electronically free of charge from Wednesday 30 April to Thursday 19 June 2025, at the locations and times set out below—

*Please note that opening hours are subject to change. Inspection venues may be closed on 5 May and 26 May as these are Bank Holidays.  You are advised to call a venue in advance before attending to confirm availability and opening hours.

Making representations

Any person may make representation on the Application to the Secretary of State (i.e. give notice of any interest in, or objection to, the Application) during the representation period. Representations must be made directly to the Planning Inspectorate. By submitting a representation you will become an Interested Person, which gives you the right to make further representations about the Application during the examination process.

Representations must be made on the Planning Inspectorate’s Registration and Relevant Representation Form and give the grounds on which it is made. The Registration and Relevant Representation Form will be made available by the Inspectorate once the registration/relevant representation period has opened on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010155

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 (EN010155) should be quoted in any correspondence.

Please note that Relevant Representations must be received by the Planning Inspectorate by 23:59 on Thursday 19 June 2025.

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 deanmoorsolar@planninginspectorate.gov.uk, quoting the name of the Application (Dean Moor Solar Farm) and the Inspectorate's reference number EN010155.

The Planning Inspectorate’s guidance Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: 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

Relevant Representations 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

Applicant’s contact details

Please contact the Applicant via the following contact details if you have any enquiries about any of the Application documents or to request a copy of the Application documents:

Post: FREEPOST: DEAN MOOR SOLAR FARM

Email: info@deanmoorsolarfarm.com

Telephone: 0800 041 8643 (9.00am - 5.00pm Monday - Friday)

FVS DEAN MOOR LIMITED