Dean Moor Solar Farm in Cumbria is set to generate up to 150 megawatts (MW) of clean energy once constructed, enough to power approximately 50,000 homes each year. This renewable energy scheme will be an important part of the UK’s transition to a lower-carbon energy system.
To prepare this Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) for development, our team led the successful development consent order (DCO) process. Consent was secured from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in July 2026.
As lead planning, environmental and coordination consultant, our team was responsible for developing and implementing the consenting strategy and environmental assessments, working closely with FVS Dean Moor Limited, a joint venture backed by renewable energy developers ib vogt and Firma Energy, and the legal advisors and communications specialists. Our team also provided expertise across planning, landscape, ecology, arboriculture, heritage, hydrology, ground conditions, noise and transport.
To secure the DCO, we took a proactive approach and engaged with Cumberland Council, the Lake District National Park and a broad range of statutory and non-statutory parties early. This helped shape a landscape-led design that responded to local sensitivities while supporting the project's energy objectives and reduced consenting risk.
This approach enabled issues to be identified and resolved early, providing confidence in the robustness of the DCO application. This resulted in an efficient DCO examination process, requiring minimal amendments and enabling timely agreement of Statements of Common Ground.
Bringing communities and invested parties along with the design process was treated as a central objective. Through this process, we’ve helped make sure Dean Moor Solar Farm, while contributing significantly to the UK’s sustainability goals, is being responsibly planned and designed in relation to the local environment and communities.
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