Planning Application: Botley West Solar Farm

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Martin McCluskey)]

This statement concerns an application for development consent made under the Planning Act 2008 by Photovolt Development Partners on behalf of SolarFive Ltd for the construction and operation of a solar farm on land in the West Oxfordshire, Cherwell and Vale of White Horse districts.

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 Act. Where a new deadline is set, the Secretary of State must make a statement to Parliament to announce it.

The statutory deadline for the decision on the Botley West solar farm application was 10 September 2026.

I have decided to allow an extension and set a new deadline of 10 November 2026 for deciding this application. This is to enable my Department and other interested parties to consider further information received from the applicant.

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

[HCWS304]