Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Chief Planning Officer on East Park Solar Farm.

Executive Councillor: Councillor T Sanderson.

The Cabinet has delegated authority to the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Leader and Executive Councillor for Planning to take all associated action necessary in the interests of the efficient and timely conduct of the Council’s compliance with the East Park Solar Farm Development Consent Order procedures including but not limited to:

(a)  preparing the Council’s responses to any written questions from the Examining Authority during the Development Consent Order Examinations and to submit those to the Examining Authority;

(b)  settling the content of and submit any Written Representations to the Examining Authority;

(c)  negotiate, settle and complete any legal agreements relevant to secure the granting of a Development Consent Order pursuant to the applications;

(d)  settling and the submission of the Statement of Common Ground to the Examining Authority;

(e)  the instruction of witnesses and legal advisors throughout the Examination process if required; and

(f)  the discharge of Development Consent Order requirements made under any Development Consent Order granted by the Secretary of State.

At 7:05pm, during discussion on this item, Councillor S Wakeford took his seat at the meeting and did not vote on this item.

Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Planning Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) proposing a new solar farm and energy battery storage scheme located to the north-west of St Neots, straddling the Huntingdonshire District, Bedfordshire (Bedford Borough) and Cambridgeshire County boundaries. The scheme proposes a connection to the National Grid at the existing substation at Eaton Socon.

By way of background, the Executive Councillor for Planning reported that the proposal would seek to generate and export more than 50 megawatts of renewable energy, therefore meeting the threshold to be a solar National Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) as opposed to it being determined by the Local Planning Authorities. Determining such applications therefore rests with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The Cabinet were informed that the project had been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and was presently at pre-application stage. In his concluding remarks, the Executive Councillor for Planning advised that due to the statutory timings associated with the National Significant Infrastructure Project and the Development Consent Order process, a short window of time had been given for the consultation documentation to be considered and responded to by specialists across the Council.

The Cabinet then discussed and received the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth).

The Executive Leader informed the meeting that the Executive Councillor for Planning would not be voting on any of the items being considered by the Cabinet at this meeting owing to his virtual attendance. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet delegate authority to the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Leader and Executive Councillor for Planning to take all associated action necessary in the interests of the efficient and timely conduct of the Council’s compliance with the East Park Solar Farm Development Consent Order procedures including but not limited to:

(a)  preparing the Council’s responses to any written questions from the Examining Authority during the Development Consent Order Examinations and to submit those to the Examining Authority;

(b)  settling the content of and submit any Written Representations to the Examining Authority;

(c)  negotiate, settle and complete any legal agreements relevant to secure the granting of a Development Consent Order pursuant to the applications;

(d)  settling and the submission of the Statement of Common Ground to the Examining Authority;

(e)  the instruction of witnesses and legal advisors throughout the Examination process if required; and

(f)  the discharge of Development Consent Order requirements made under any Development Consent Order granted by the Secretary of State.

The Panel is invited to comment on the response to the Planning Inspectorate in respect of the East Park Solar Farm as contained within the report.

By means of a report by the Chief Planning Officer (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book) the East Park Solar Farm report was presented to the Panel.

In response to a question from Councillor Howell, it was confirmed to the Panel that the Memorandum of Understanding was signed off in April 2024 and that collaborative working with other local authorities was in place where possible.

The Panel were assured, following questions from Councillor Cawley and Councillor Martin that ward Councillors would be communicated with to stay appraised of progress in relation to the technical matters which will be within the Council’s remit for the Development Consent Order process.

Following an enquiry from Councillor Blackwell, the Panel heard that renewable and low carbon energy were key targets within the Local Plan and it was felt that this development helped the Council to deliver these targets as well as aligning with the Council’s Climate Strategy. It was noted that this development was of national significance therefore would be developed ahead of the Local Plan timescales alongside recognising the challenges in delivering sustainable energy within the district. The Panel also heard that landscaping of the development would be detailed and developed as the project progressed.

Following the discussion, it was

RESOLVED

that the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel be added to the Cabinet report in order for an informed decision to be made upon the report recommendations.

Councillor Blackwell left the meeting.