Ministers delay decision on UK’s biggest solar farm
Published 20 September 2023
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The government has delayed a planning decision on proposals for the UK’s biggest solar farm.
Under the statutory process for national infrastructure projects, ministers were due to make a decision on the development consent order (DCO) for the Sunnica Energy Farm by 28 September, three months after receiving a report from inspectors.
However, junior energy minister Lord Callanan issued a written statement that confirmed a decision on the DCO is being postponed. A new deadline of 7 December has been set for deciding the application.
Sunnica’s plans would see around 2,500 acres covered by solar panels across three sites located on the border between west Suffolk and east Cambridgeshire, near Newmarket.
The scheme would be, if constructed, more than ten times bigger than the Shotwick solar park in Flintshire, currently the UK’s largest solar farm.
However Sunnica’s plans have been fiercely resisted by the area’s local Conservative MPs.
The project is due to connect to the grid at the Burwell substation.
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