The Longfield Solar Farm (Amendment) Order 2026

• Citation: S.I. 2026/397
• Sections: 10

Section 1 Citation and commencement

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

Section 2 Amendment to the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023

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

Section 3 Amendments 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;

Section 4 Amendments 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);

Section 5 Amendments to article 6 of the 2023 Order

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

Section 6 Amendments to article 6 of the 2023 Order

After paragraph 6(4), insert the following—

(5) Regulation 6 of the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 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.

Section 7 Amendment 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” .

Section 8 Amendments to Schedule 2 to the 2023 Order

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

Section 9 Amendments 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.

Section 10 Amendments 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.