The Consultation Process

Public consultation is a crucial component of the pre-application process for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). 

We are committed to early and continuous engagement to ensure that the development of our proposals for Light Valley Solar are informed and shaped by community input. Local communities, residents, and councils play a vital role in this process. The design process for the proposed development will be iterative and will be informed by feedback received during the two stages of community consultation that are planned for the project. 

  • This is a non-statutory phase of consultation during which time we shared details of our early-phase proposals for the overall project and invited you to tell us what you think. We will use the views and comments you submitted during the first phase of consultation, together with the findings from ongoing studies and surveys we are carrying out, to help us shape and refine our proposals. 

    We received feedback on: 

    • The overall project 

    • Local projects and community initiatives we could support to create benefits for communities in proximity to our proposed scheme. 

    • Additional considerations for how we deliver the next phase of consultation 

  • Between Thursday 26th June and Thursday 7th August 2025 we carried out our second phase of consultation, welcoming feedback on more detailed proposals for the project

    This is a statutory phase of consultation required by the application process for NSIPs.  

    After submission of the DCO application, PINS will decide whether the application meets the standards required to be accepted for examination. If the application is accepted, you will have the opportunity to participate in the examination process by registering as an Interested Party, enabling you to submit your views in writing or present them orally at hearings. 

    Once the examination has concluded, PINS will make a recommendation to the SoS within three months. The SoS for Energy Security and Net Zero will then have a further three months to issue a f inal decision on the application. More information about the DCO process can be found on the PINS website.

  • Between Thursday 16th October and Thursday 20th November we consulted on a series of 40 localised, specific changes to the proposals for Light Valley Solar. 

    These changes are minor in their nature and have been informed by further design work and due diligence, ongoing consideration of consultee feedback, and findings from the ongoing environmental impact assessment process.  The 40 changes to the Proposed Development boundary relate to confirming the land that may be required for:  

    • Access Points

    • Visibility Splays

    • Passing Places

    • Abnormal Indivisible Loads (AIL) Access

    • The Cable Route

    • Permissive Paths