The Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park was granted development consent on 27 October 2026, the Planning Inspectorate announced in a press release dated that day. The application covers a solar photovoltaic generating station, a battery energy storage system and grid connection infrastructure, with a maximum generation capacity of 800MW.

According to the release, developer Elements Green Trent Limited submitted the application to the Planning Inspectorate on 27 June 2025, and it was accepted for examination on 22 July 2025. Recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 28 July 2026 after a six-month examination in which the public, statutory consultees and other interested parties could give evidence. The release says the Planning Inspectorate completed the case within the statutory timescale under the Planning Act 2008, and describes it as the 117th energy application out of 185 examined to date.

The decision was made by Baroness Curran on behalf of the Energy Secretary's legal authority, the release states. The decision, the Examining Authority's recommendation and the evidence considered are publicly available on the National Infrastructure Planning website, it adds.