Written statement: Energy Infrastructure Planning – Botley West Solar Farm - Mar 26

Minister for Energy Consumers (Martin McCluskey): This Statement concerns an application for development consent made under the Planning Act 2008 by Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) on behalf of SolarFive Ltd for the construction and operation of a solar farm on land in West Oxfordshire, Cherwell and Vale of White Horse Districts, across approximately 1,400 hectares.

Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make a decision on an application within three months of the receipt of the Examining Authority's report unless a new deadline is set using the power under section 107(3) of the Planning Act 2008. Where a new deadline is set, the Secretary of State must make a Statement to Parliament to announce it. The current statutory deadline for the decision on the Botley West Solar Farm application is 10 May 2026.

I have decided to set a new deadline of no later than 10 September 2026 for deciding this application. This is to enable my Department to seek further information from the applicant with sufficient time to allow for consideration of this information by other interested parties.

The decision to set the new deadline for this application is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant or refuse development consent.