The UK’s Largest Solar Farm: Springwell Solar Farm

Pell Frischmann is delighted to hear that Springwell Solar Farm has been awarded its Development Consent Order (DCO) by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero today.

Pell Frischmann supported EDF Power Solutions and Luminous Energy Group with the provision of transport planning support during the hearing process for the scheme and helped answer questions from the Examining Authority, Lincolnshire County Council, National Highways and local residents.

Springwell Solar Farm is a proposed new solar farm with battery storage that would provide enough clean, secure energy to power over 180,000* homes each year – the equivalent of half the homes in Lincolnshire.

Springwell is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) because of its electrical generation capacity of 800MW.  At the time of approval, Springwell is the largest consented solar farm development in the United Kingdom.

EDF power solutions UK’s Director of Storage, Solar and Private Wire Matthew Boulton said:

”We are delighted with the decision by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to grant development consent for Springwell Solar Farm. With the potential to provide enough clean, secure energy to power over 180,000 homes every year, Springwell will make a nationally significant contribution to the UK’s future energy mix and ongoing energy security.

This is an important milestone for the project, which has come after three years of robust scrutiny of the proposals and engagement with the local community, local councils and environmental groups. We will now consider the detail of the consent and the programme of delivery and look forward to meeting with local authorities and the wider community to plan next steps.”

Sector Director for Energy at Pell Frischmann, Gordon Buchan said:

”Springwell Solar Farm has been the largest solar farm Pell Frischmann has worked on to date.  As a firm, our energy work has encompassed some of the largest onshore wind farms, hydrogen plants, battery storage projects and pumped storage hydro schemes in the UK.  Having assisted EDF Power Solutions and Luminous Energy Group on the largest consented solar farm is further evidence of our growing presence in the market and we look forward to helping both developers with their growing portfolios.”

Development Consent Order (“DCO”) applications for consent to undertake a NSIP is made to the Planning Inspectorate who consider the application and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will then decide on whether development consent should be granted for the proposed