The Heckington Fen Solar Park Order 2025

SCHEDULE 1 AUTHORISED DEVELOPMENT

Article 2 1 In this Schedule— “community orchard” means a new orchard within the Order limits in the area shown on the works plan; “energy storage station” means a station comprising transformers, switchgear, power conversion system (PCS) or inverter, and other ancillary equipment with each component either— located outside, sitting on either ground bearing or piled reinforced concrete foundation slabs; or housed together within a container sitting on either a ground bearing or piled reinforced concrete foundation slab; “electrical cables” means— cables of differing types and voltages installed for the purposes of conducting electricity, auxiliary cables, cables connecting to direct current (DC) boxes, earthing cables, control cables, security cables, communication cables, and optical fibre cables; and works associated with cable laying including cable sealing ends, jointing pits, hardstanding adjoining the jointing pits, combiner boxes, link boxes, fibre bays, cable ducts, cable protection, joint protection, manholes, kiosks, marker posts, underground cable marker, tiles and tape, send and receive pits for horizontal directional drilling, trenching, lighting, and a pit or container to capture fluids associated with drilling; “energy storage” means equipment used for the storage of electrical energy; “existing substation” means the existing substation at Bicker Fen, Bicker, Lincolnshire, PE20 3BQ, owned and operated by NGET; “inverter” means electrical equipment required to convert direct current power generated to alternating current; “mounting structure” means a frame or rack or table made of galvanised steel or other material designed to support the solar modules and mounted on piles driven into the ground by one of the following methods— piles rammed into a hole; a pillar attaching to a steel ground screw; or a pillar set in concrete in a pre-made hole in the ground (micro piled); “solar module” means a solar photovoltaic panel designed to convert solar irradiance to electrical energy fitted to mounting structures; “solar station” means a station comprising inverters, transformers, switchgear and associated ancillary and control equipment with each component either— located outside, sitting on either ground bearing or piled reinforced concrete foundation slabs; or housed together within a container sitting on either a ground bearing or piled reinforced concrete foundation slab; “substation” means a compound, containing electrical equipment required to switch, transform, convert electricity and provide reactive power compensation mounted on a reinforced foundation slab or piling; “switchgear” means a combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses or circuit breakers used to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment; and “transformer” means a structure containing an electrical device to transform electricity by increasing or reducing the voltage. 2 In the Districts of North Kesteven and Boston in the County of Lincolnshire, a nationally significant infrastructure project as defined in sections 14 and 15 of the 2008 Act and associated development under section 115(1)(b) of the 2008 Act. The nationally significant infrastructure project comprises the following works—— Work No. 1— a ground mounted solar photovoltaic generating station with a gross electrical output capacity of over 50 megawatts including— (a) Work No. 1A— (i) solar modules; (ii) solar stations; (iii) inverters; (iv) solar module mounting structures; and (v) a network of electrical cables; and (b) Work No. 1B— electrical cables between solar stations and solar modules within Work No. 1A and connecting Work No. 1A to Work No. 2 and Work No. 4. Associated Development Associated development within the meaning of section 115(2) of the 2008 Act including— Work No. 2— an energy storage facility comprising— (a) energy storage cells; (b) a network of electrical cable circuits; (c) electrical cables connecting to Work No. 1A and Work No. 1B and Work No. 4; (d) a structure protecting the energy storage cells and ancillary equipment, being either one container or multiple containers, mounted on a reinforced concrete foundation slab or concrete piling; (e) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) or liquid cooling systems; (f) energy storage stations comprising— (i) inverters and transformers; and (ii) switchgear and ancillary equipment; (g) monitoring and control systems; (h) fire safety infrastructure comprising fire suppression system; and (i) storage structures for the purposes of firefighting comprising containment tanks or a concrete water storage basin or lagoon for the purpose of firefighting. Work No. 3— reception areas, temporary cabins, construction compounds and parking, gatehouses, and service areas in connection with Work No. 1A, Work No. 1B, Work No. 2, Work No. 4, and Work No. 5. Work No. 4— an onsite substation and works in connection with the onsite substation including— (a) transformers, including associated cooling equipment, bunding and blast walls; (b) switchgear, including circuit breakers, disconnectors and earth switches; (c) substation electrical apparatus, including bus-bars, steel supports, insulation posts, cable sealing ends, surge arrestor, instrument transformers; (d) harmonic filtering reactive power compensation equipment; (e) substation buildings; (f) control buildings or containers; (g) welfare facilities and hardstanding areas; (h) a network of cable circuits; (i) electrical cables connecting to Work No. 1A, Work No. 1B, and Work No. 2; and (j) flood protection measures. Work No. 5— works to lay electrical cables between Work No. 4 and Work No. 6A. Work No. 5A— works to lay electrical cables from Work No. 5 at approximately 52° 56′ 14.1″ N, 0° 13′ 12.0″ W, and 52° 56′ 09.9″ N, 0° 13′ 11.3″ W, running in a southerly and south easterly direction to Work No. 5 at approximately 52° 55′ 51.1″ N, 0° 13′ 19.0″ W, and 52° 55′ 48.7″ N, 0° 13′ 21.2″ W. Work No. 5B— works to lay electrical cables from Work No. 5 at approximately 52° 56′ 15.5″ N, 0° 13′ 07.7″ W, and 52° 56′ 09.9″ N, 0° 13′ 11.3″ Wrunning in a south east and south westerly direction to Work No. 5 at approximately 52° 55′ 51.1″ N, 0° 13′ 19.0″ E, and 52° 55′ 50.0″ N, 0° 13′ 17.9″ W. Work No. 6A— creation of a new generation bay and associated works at the existing substation, including— (a) an electrical bay to connect into the existing network at Work No. 6B, including associated outdoor air insulated switchgear (AIS) or indoor gas insulated switchgear (GIS) and electrical apparatus, circuit breakers, disconnectors and earth switches; (b) substation electrical apparatus, including bus-bars, steel supports, insulation posts, cable sealing ends, surge arrestors, instrument transformers; (c) control building; and (d) underground and above ground electrical cables and electrical connectors, including cables for power, control and communication with electrical bays and to connect into Work No. 6B, including associated outdoor AIS or indoor GIS and electrical apparatus. Work No. 6B— an extension to the existing substation, including— (a) outdoor AIS or indoor GIS, including circuit breakers, disconnectors and earth switches; (b) substation electrical apparatus, including bus-bars, bus-section and a bus-coupler, steel supports, insulation posts, cable sealing ends, surge arrestors, instrument transformers; and (c) underground and above ground electrical cables and electrical conductors, including cables for power, control and communication with electrical bays and to connect into Work No. 6A and the existing network within the existing substation, including associated outdoor AIS or indoor GIS and electrical apparatus. Work No. 6C— works in connection with the extension to the existing substation, including— (a) a cable sealing end compound and construction of a new circuit bay connecting into the existing substation; and (b) underground and above ground electrical cables and electrical conductors, connecting the existing 400kV transmission tower and the new feeder bay. Work No. 7— two temporary laydown areas in connection with Work No. 5 and Work No. 6A, 6B, and 6C including— (a) areas of hardstanding, compacted ground or tracking matting; (b) car parking and access; (c) area to store materials and equipment, including electrical cables; (d) site and welfare offices and cabins; (e) security infrastructure, including cameras, perimeter fencing and lighting; (f) site drainage and waste management infrastructure (including sewerage); and (g) electricity, water, waste water and telecommunications connections. Work No. 8— works to create and maintain a permanent means of access from the A17 to Work No. 1A, Work No. 1B, Work No. 2, Work No. 3 and Work No. 4. Work No. 9A— works to create, enhance and maintain green infrastructure and create biodiversity net gain areas, including— (a) soft landscaping and planting, including tree planting; (b) landscape and biodiversity enhancement measures; (c) earth works; (d) hard standing and hard landscaping; (e) drainage and irrigation infrastructure and improvements or extensions to existing irrigation systems; (f) fencing, gates, boundary treatment and other means of enclosure; and (g) improvement, maintenance and use of existing private tracks. Work No. 9B— works to create a permissive path, including installing up to two footbridges, fencing, gates, boundary treatment and other means of enclosure. Work No. 9C— works to create a community orchard. Work No. 10— works to existing streets to facilitate access to Work Nos. 1 to 9B. Further Associated Development In connection with and in addition to Work Nos.1 to 10 further associated development including— (a) works within highways, including— (i) alteration of the layout of any street permanently or temporarily, including increasing or reducing the width of the carriageway of any street by increasing or reducing the width of any kerb, footway, cycleway, or verge within the street including removal of any vegetation; and altering the level or increasing the width of any such kerb, footway, cycleway or verge within the street including removal of any vegetation; and works for the strengthening, improvement, repair, maintenance or reconstruction of any street; (ii) street works, including breaking up or opening a street, or any sewer, drain or tunnel under it, and tunnelling or boring under a street; (iii) relocation, removal or provision of new road traffic signs, signals, street lighting, road restraints and carriageway lane markings; (iv) works to place, alter, remove or maintain street furniture or apparatus (including statutory undertakers’ apparatus) in, under or above a street, including mains, sewers, drains, pipes, cables, cofferdams, lights, fencing and other boundary treatments; and (v) works to facilitate traffic management and to deliver information relating to the authorised development; and (b) other works and development, including— (i) works for the provision of fencing and security measures such as CCTV, lighting, communication boxes and access control booths; (ii) laying down of internal access tracks, ramps, means of access, footpaths, and roads; (iii) bunds, embankments, trenching and swales; (iv) boundary treatments, including means of enclosure; (v) laying out and surfacing of permissive paths, including the laying and construction of drainage infrastructure, signage and information boards; (vi) foundations for structures of buildings being reinforced concrete pad foundations with piled foundations employed in locations where the ground is not sufficiently stiff to allow for pad foundations; (vii) works to the existing irrigation system and works to alter the position and extent of such irrigation system; (viii) electrical, gas, water, foul water drainage and telecommunications infrastructure connections and works to, and works to alter the position of, such services and utilities connections; (ix) works to alter the course of, or otherwise interfere with, non-navigable rivers, streams or watercourses; (x) surface water drainage systems, storm water attenuation systems including storage basins, oil water separators, including channelling and culverting and works to existing drainage systems; (xi) site establishments and preparation works including site clearance (including vegetation removal, demolition of existing buildings and structures); earthworks (including soil stripping and storage and site levelling) and excavations; the alteration of the position of services and utilities; and works for the protection of buildings and land; (xii) landscaping and other works to mitigate any adverse effects of the construction, maintenance or operation of the authorised development; and (xiii) tunnelling, boring and drilling works, and further associated development comprising such other works or operations as may be necessary or expedient for the purposes of or in connection with the construction, operation and maintenance of the authorised development but only within the Order limits and insofar as they are unlikely to give rise to any materially new or materially different environmental effects from those assessed in the environmental statement.