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The Longfield Solar Farm (Amendment) Order 2026

S.I. 2026/397 · Made 24 February 2026

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

Infrastructure Planning

Made 24th February 2026

Coming into force 25th February 2026

An application has been made, under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008f1, to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011f2 (“the 2011 Regulations”) for non-material changes to the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023f3.

The Secretary of State, having considered the application, the responses to the publicity and consultation required by Regulations 6 and 7 of the 2011 Regulations, has decided to make the changes on terms that in the opinion of the Secretary of State are not materially different from those proposed in the application.

Accordingly, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraphs 2(1) and (9) of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008, makes the following Order.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

2008 c. 29. Paragraph 2 was amended by paragraph 4 of Schedule 8 to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), by paragraphs 1 and 72 of Schedule 13 and Part 20 of Schedule 25 to the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), and by section 28 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7).

f2

S.I. 2011/2055, as amended by S.I. 2012/635 and S.I. 2015/760. There are other amending instruments but none are relevant.

f3

S.I. 2023/734 as amended by S.I. 2023/1241.

Contents

  1. 1Citation and commencement
  2. 2Amendment to the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023
  3. 3Amendments to article 2 of the 2023 Order
  4. 4Amendments to article 2 of the 2023 Order
  5. 5Amendments to article 6 of the 2023 Order
  6. 6Amendments to article 6 of the 2023 Order
  7. 7Amendment to Schedule 1 to the 2023 Order
  8. 8Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order
  9. 9Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order
  10. 10Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order
  11. Signature
  12. Explanatory note

1Citation and commencement

This Order may be cited as the Longfield Solar Farm (Amendment) Order 2026 and comes into force on 25th February 2026.

2Amendment to the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023

The Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023 (“the 2023 Order”) is amended as follows.

3Amendments to article 2 of the 2023 Order

In article 2, after the definition of “limits of deviation”, insert the following—

  • ““main site construction works” means that part of the authorised development identified in work numbers 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 10;”.

4Amendments to article 2 of the 2023 Order

Substitute the definition of the “Park Farm planning permission” with the following—

  • ““Park Farm planning permission” means planning permission CHL 1890/87 granted by Essex County Council on 15 June 1990 (as amended) and/or planning permission CHL 1019/87 granted by Essex County Council on 15 June 1990 (as amended);”.

5Amendments to article 6 of the 2023 Order

In paragraph 6(4), for “the land at plot 1/2C”, substitute “the Order land”.

6Amendments to article 6 of the 2023 Order

After paragraph 6(4), insert the following—

“(5)

Regulation 6 of the Hedgerows Regulations 1997f1 is modified so as to read for the purposes of this Order only as if there were inserted after paragraph (1)(j) the following—

  • or

(k)

for carrying out development which has been authorised by the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023.”.

7Amendment to Schedule 1 to the 2023 Order

In paragraph 2 of Schedule 1, in paragraph (i) of the description of Work No. 4A, for “one 400 kilovolt cable circuit” substitute “up to two 400 kilovolt cable circuits”.

8Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order

Paragraph 9 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 is amended as follows.

9Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order

For sub-paragraphs (2) to (4) substitute the following—

“(2)

The landscape and ecological management plan submitted under sub-paragraph (1) in respect of the main site construction works must include details of how the plan will secure a minimum of 87% biodiversity net gain during the operation of the authorised development, calculated using The Biodiversity Metric 4.0, published by Natural England on 20 April 2023 (or such other biodiversity metric approved by the relevant planning authority in consultation with the relevant statutory nature conservation body).

(3)

Any and all landscape and ecological management plans submitted under sub-paragraph (1) must include details of—

(a)

how the landscaping and ecological measures will be managed and maintained during the operational life of the solar farm works and grid connection works to the date on which the decommissioning environmental management plan is implemented pursuant to requirement 20 (decommissioning and restoration); and

(b)

how any approaches and measures in the biodiversity design strategy have been incorporated into the design of the solar farm works and grid connection works.

(4)

The landscape and ecological management plan must be implemented as approved.”

10Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order

After sub-paragraph (4), insert the following—

“(5)

For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), “commence” includes site clearance involving vegetation removal.”.

Signature

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

John Wheadon

Head of Energy Infrastructure Planning Delivery & Innovation

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

24th February 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023, a development consent order under the Planning Act 2008, following an application made in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011 for a non-material amendment under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008. This Order amends article 2, article 6, Schedule 1 and part 2 of Schedule 2 of the 2023 Order relating to various matters.