‘Significant milestone’ for controversial Northamptonshire Green Hill Solar Farm accepted by Planning Inspectorate

The Development Consent Order (DCO) for Green Hill Solar Farm was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate at the end of May 2025, and on June 19 it was accepted.

Representatives of Island Green Power, the developer behind Green Hill Solar, were ‘pleased’ at the news, but remain ‘committed to a transparent and inclusive process.’

Lesley Giles, project manager for Green Hill Solar Farm, said: "Reaching the pre-examination stage is a significant milestone for the Green Hill Solar Farm project.

"It is an important moment for us to ensure that all views are taken into account.

"We are committed to a transparent and inclusive process, and we encourage everyone to participate by submitting relevant representations. This will help the examining authority assess the full impact of the project, ensuring that it meets the highest standards for both the environment and local communities.”

With the acceptance, Green Hill Solar Farm enters the ‘pre-examination phase’. Those with a vested interest in the project – including local authorities, and ‘certain persons with an interest in relevant land’ – may submit a relevant representation by filling out a registration form to formally become an ‘interested party’, outlining a person or organisation’s comments about the application.

As part of the process to become an interested party, those applying must include full and detailed information about the issues they want to be considered, including any necessary evidence, not simply ‘we support’ or ‘we object’ to the project.

This will give them the right tosend further comments during the examination stage of the process, to request to speak at the preliminary meeting during the pre-examination stage or hearings at the examination stage, and request to attend any accompanied site inspections.

During this phase the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband MP will appoint an examining authority to assess the application, andhas the final say on whether NSIP solar developments will go ahead.

The solar farm is designed to generate up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy, and would include a battery energy storage system (BESS) to support the grid and improve energy resilience. The proposal would cover 2,965 acres of green space around the villages of Bozeat, Mears Ashby, Earls Barton, Walgrave, Easton Maudit, and Grendon, and has caught the concern of local people and authorities. Most recently a ‘Walk to Defend the Countryside’, attended by MP Sarah Bool, took place, with residents and Stop Green Hill Solar supporters pushing back on the plans.

Leader of North Northants Council, Cllr Martin Griffiths, says he is ‘opposed to the sheer scale of the Green Hill Solar development’.

Those who wish to submit a relevant representation must do so by 11:59pm on Thursday, August 14, 2025. Information about how to register as an interested party can be found here.