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HALT Prepares High Court Challenge to Helios Solar Farm Approval

Campaigners are racing to fund a judicial review that questions whether cumulative-impact rules were followed.

Overview

  • The Energy Secretary approved the Helios scheme on December 3, a roughly 190MW solar project with a battery system planned to connect to the grid at Drax.
  • HALT says legal advice found arguable flaws in how cumulative impacts were assessed and is seeking £15,000 to file its claim, with about half reportedly pledged.
  • The group indicates it could submit the judicial review within days as it works against a six-week statutory deadline from the approval date.
  • Developers Enso Energy and Cero Generation submitted the application, which residents argue would intensify the area's industrialisation alongside other proposals such as Light Valley Solar.
  • Reports conflict on the land area of the site, with figures of 476 hectares and 1,175 hectares both cited in coverage, and the discrepancy remains unresolved.