Lincolnshire County Council has launched a High Court challenge against the Government’s decision to approve a massive 400MW solar and battery development near Heckington, around 12 miles from Boston town centre.
The challenge against Beacon Fen Energy Park was announced today at an event at Bicker Fen Village Hall, putting renewed focus on the growing concentration of large-scale energy developments connecting, or proposed to connect, into the National Grid at Bicker Fen.
Beacon Fen would cover more than 700 hectares of Lincolnshire countryside with solar panels and associated infrastructure, alongside battery energy storage.
The development would have a generating capacity of up to 400MW and connect into National Grid’s major 400kV Bicker Fen Substation.
It is far from the only major renewable energy development using, or planning to use, infrastructure around Bicker Fen.
Other projects in the area include Heckington Fen Solar Park, another major Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) which is set to connect to Bicker Fen through an underground cable.
The 22MWp Bicker Fen Solar Park is already operational, while other developments in the wider area include Cowbridge Solar Farm, the AGR Renewables development near Bicker Bar and the operational Vicarage Drove Solar Farm.
The concentration of projects around the substation comes alongside a much wider expansion of large-scale solar developments across Lincolnshire, something the county council has repeatedly raised concerns about.
Beacon Fen Energy Park was granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on 21 August. Due to its scale, the project was determined through the national NSIP planning process rather than by the local planning authority.
Throughout that process, Lincolnshire County Council raised concerns that insufficient weight was being given to the impact of the development on local communities, the rural landscape and agricultural land. It also highlighted the cumulative impact of Beacon Fen alongside the growing number of other major solar developments being proposed across Lincolnshire.
The council has since examined the Government’s decision-making process, sought legal advice and has now formally submitted a claim for a Judicial Review to the High Court.
Cllr Sean Matthews, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Following the Government’s decision to approve this development, we carefully considered our options, took legal advice, and we believe there are reasonable grounds to challenge this decision in court.
“Legal action isn’t something we take lightly, but we need to use whatever means we have available to stop these developments eating up our best and most versatile farmland, dwarfing local communities, and covering Lincolnshire in glass.
“Our county is still bearing the brunt of NSIP applications and, with no NSIP application ever being refused in Lincolnshire by successive Governments, it’s important that we take a stand on behalf of our residents and our national food security when we believe we have the grounds to challenge.”
It is the second Judicial Review involving Lincolnshire County Council over the Government’s approval of a major solar development this year. The authority is already pursuing a joint legal challenge with North Kesteven District Council against the approval of Springwell Solar Farm.
In both cases, a judge will first consider the claims and decide whether they can proceed beyond the permission stage to a full Judicial Review hearing.
Lincolnshire County Council has become increasingly vocal about the number and scale of energy projects proposed for the county and has previously called on the Government to review the NSIP planning system. The authority argues the process does not give sufficient weight to local views and concerns.
According to the council, no NSIP application in Lincolnshire has been refused by successive Governments since the system was introduced in 2010.
The High Court will now consider the council’s claim and determine whether its challenge to the Government’s approval of Beacon Fen Energy Park can proceed to a full hearing.
