DCO Application
As the proposed generating capacity of the project exceeds 50 megawatts (MW), Stonestreet Green Solar is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).
Our project therefore had to apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO) through the Planning Act 2008 process. Consent for the solar panels, energy storage, cable routes and grid connection were included in the DCO.
The DCO application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), the agency responsible for managing the examination process for NSIPs and the application was accepted for Examination in July 2024.
The application was examined by an independent Examining Authority at PINS who reviewed the application and asked written questions and held hearings during the examination.
The Examining Authority then prepared a detailed report and made a recommendation to the Secretary of State (SoS) for Energy Security and Net Zero. The SoS granted development consent for the project on 23 October 2025.
Click here to view and download the DCO Application Documents.
Post-consent, the local authority (Ashford Borough Council) now becomes the responsible planning authority for the project.
Consultation
Consultation plays a major role in the DCO process. A first round of non-statutory consultation was held during March and April 2022 to provide members of the local community with the opportunity to view the initial proposals and submit feedback to help shape the proposals for Stonestreet Green Solar. Following the non-statutory consultation, EPL 001 revised its proposals to address comments that it received, undertook further surveys and reports, and progressed the layout and scheme design.
A statutory consultation was held in October/November 2022. A further round of consultation took place in 2023, in advance of the DCO application being submitted.