solar panels from above on green grass
The two projects have a combined capacity of almost 1GW. Image: Red Zeppelin via Unsplash.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has granted development consent orders (DCOs) to the Heckington Fen Solar and West Burton Solar solar PV power plants.

The two developments, both located in Lincolnshire, England, are classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Developments (NSIPs) as their proposed generation capacity is over 50MW. Combined, the Heckington Fen Solar and West Burton Solar projects will have a generation capacity of almost 1GW.

The West Burton Solar PV power plant, developed by Island Green Power, is slated for land straddling the county border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, with a proposed generation capacity of 480MW. The solar array will be spread across several parcels of land, all of which will connect to the grid at the existing substation at the West Burton Power Station. Plans for the project have been in development since 2021, with an application for a DCO made in March 2023, and the formal examination of the proposal concluding in May 2024. Island Green Power has not yet stated when they plan to begin construction on the development or when the project could be expected to connect to the grid.

The DCO approval of the Heckington Fen Solar project comes at the end of a long and occasionally difficult application process. Developer Ecotricity submitted the DCO application for a 500MW solar PV power plant with a co-located 200-400MW  battery energy storage system (BESS) to the Planning Inspectorate in February 2023, following a previous failed bid to install 22 wind turbines on the same land.

While plans for the wind development on the site were approved by the planning inspectorate in 2013, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) raised concerns about the impact of the turbines on radar defence systems in the area, pushing Ecotricity to develop new plans for a solar development that they claim will generate around three times as much electricity as the previously proposed wind project.

In October 2024, DESNZ announced it would delay the planning decision date for the Heckington Fen development to early 2025, following Ecotricity requesting two extensions to deadline dates for submitting information to DESNZ.

According to Ecotricity, the extension was needed to allow for more time to negotiate with the landowners for the site, the Crown Estate and the Duchy of Lancaster. DESNZ granted the extension, although it stated it did so “reluctantly”, and has now approved the project for development.

In a statement on the project website for West Burton Solar, Island Green Power said: “We are grateful to everyone who has given their time as part of this process. We are confident in the end result being proposals that will deliver against our ambition for the solar project and for the local community”.

Will 2025 be a bumper year for solar?

This year so far has already seen significant movement on several large-scale solar projects, with more to come throughout 2025.

Last week, international renewable energy developer Ørsted announced proposals for a 320MW solar PV power plant in East Yorkshire, the Kingfisher Solar Farm, for which public consultations are set to begin on 3 February. Meanwhile, Elements Green has opened the second phase of statutory consultations for its 800MW Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park, which will run until 20 February.

Plans for another proposed 800MW development, EDF Renewables UK’s Springwell Solar Farm, will be examined by the planning inspectorate following the successful submission of a DCO application for the project.