Beacon Fen Solar Farm

Project Size: 400 MW Solar & Battery Storage
Status: DCO Application Accepted for Examination – Q2 2025

Overview

Beacon Fen Solar Farm is a significant renewable energy project proposed by Low Carbon, comprising 400 MW of solar generation and co-located battery storage in South Lincolnshire. As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), it is progressing through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process. Our land consultancy team was appointed to deliver critical early-stage land services to support the successful development and submission of the project.

Our Role

Land Referencing, Survey Access & Route Optioneering

• Delivered comprehensive land referencing across a wide scoping area, using HMLR  interrogation and local land use intelligence to feed into early-stage site design.
• Informed route optioneering and land strategy development by identifying and flagging key land constraints.
• Secured early access for environmental and technical surveys, reducing risks to the project timeline.
• Managed the client land account, ensuring accurate records and clear communication across stakeholders.

Strategic Land Assembly & DCO Guidance

• Provided targeted advice on land assembly strategy, drawing from deep experience in NSIP delivery.
• Ensured efficient design development by advising on DCO process implications when assessing route alternatives, helping to avoid procedural challenges later in the process.
• Supported the preparation of land plans and Book of Reference materials in line with statutory requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement & Consultation Support

• Attended local public consultation events as part of the client’s project team, representing the land interface.
• Assisted with engaging affected landowners and occupiers, addressing concerns and building trusted relationships at the pre-application stage.

Cable Route Optioneering & Easement Negotiations

• Leading route optioneering for the export cable, balancing technical requirements with landowner constraints.
• Ongoing negotiation of Heads of Terms for cable easements, with a view to ensuring deliverability and de-risking the examination and post-consent phases.
• Preparing the overarching land strategy to support DCO compliance and examination readiness.

Outcomes

• The DCO application for Beacon Fen Solar Farm was successfully submitted and accepted for examination in Spring 2025.
• Our early-stage involvement enabled the client to make informed design choices and avoid common pitfalls when balancing land constraints with engineering requirements.
• Ardent’s integrated approach ensured alignment between land strategy, consultation activities, and DCO requirements.

Conclusion

The Beacon Fen Solar Farm showcases our ability to support complex renewable energy infrastructure from feasibility through to examination. Our team’s understanding of land constraints, DCO procedures, and stakeholder dynamics ensures a streamlined and resilient land strategy—adding value and reducing risk for our clients at every stage.