Latest news with #DevelopmentConsentOrder
Ya Biladi
2 days ago
- Business
- Ya Biladi
UK snubs Xlinks' Morocco-UK power project over focus on homegrown energy
The British government is reportedly halting formal negotiations with Xlinks, the company behind an ambitious £25 billion (310 billion dirhams) renewable energy project designed to import solar and wind power from Morocco to the UK via a 4,000-kilometre undersea cable. According to British media, Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has decided not to move forward with discussions over a 25-year price guarantee agreement with the company. Government sources cited a desire to prioritize «homegrown» energy, a position Miliband reiterated during a speech at the Climate Innovation Forum, part of London Climate Action Week, on Wednesday. In his remarks, Miliband said the UK government has a «hard-headed determination to get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets with cheaper, clean, homegrown energy that we control». Sensing hesitation The decision, expected to be confirmed in a ministerial statement later on Thursday, comes despite strong investor interest in the project. Notably, Xlinks Chairman Sir Dave Lewis, the former CEO of Tesco, had already anticipated a possible government pullback. «If the UK government does not agree to support the project, we will switch our focus to another country», he warned earlier this year. Moreover, the company requested in May a temporary pause in its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO), a legal requirement for major infrastructure projects in the UK, while awaiting a decision on its Contract for Difference (CfD) bid, which would determine the electricity sale price. It is worth noting that the Morocco–UK Power Project aims to deliver 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of dispatchable, clean energy from solar, wind, and battery facilities in Morocco to the UK. The project is expected to reduce UK carbon emissions by 10% and cut wholesale electricity prices by 9.3%. In 2022, the project was included in the UK's strategic energy vision and recognised as a project of national significance in 2023.
ITV News
02-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Norfolk villagers angry after letter says their homes could be 'required' for East Pye solar farm
A great-grandmother has told ITV News she feels "overwhelmed" after dozens of residents in her village received a letter saying their homes "may be required" by a solar farm developer. The East Pye Solar Project would see more than 2,500 acres of countryside across 100 fields in south Norfolk turned into one of the UK's biggest solar farms, affecting villages including Hempnall, Saxlingham and Tasburgh. Proposed last year, it would power around 115,000 homes and a statutory consultation will begin this summer. But 89-year-old Yvonne Davy and dozens of fellow residents have received a letter from developer Island Green Power's lawyers which has left them "alarmed". The letter, from firm Dalcour Maclaren, said East Pye Solar Ltd believe they may have an interest in the residents' land or property, which could be "required for the project". Ms Davy told ITV News Anglia she was "absolutely appalled" to receive the letter, which she feels implies residents' property could be acquired. The great-grandmother, who has solar panels on her roof and drives an electric car, said: "I thought, they'll get my property over my dead body, which is a bit extreme but it would really damage me a great deal. "I'm just overwhelmed by it, really." The project is deemed to be of national significance, meaning the final decision will be made by the Planning Inspectorate. That could give the developer the power to compulsory purchase land, but they have said their intention is to deliver the scheme without doing that. "It left me feeling unsettled": Rob Setchell spoke to Hempnall residents who received the letter The parish council said residents felt "harassed" after residents were also contacted on their personal mobile phones. David Hook, chairman of Hempnall Parish Council, told ITV News Anglia the power to compulsory purchase property and land is "a very worrying thing". He said: "Everyone should love the countryside, it's a precious national asset. "We should be protecting it, not destroying it. "It's everybody's legacy." Island Green Power said: "East Pye Solar will be undertaking Land Interest Questionnaires (LIQ) to identify people and organisations that have a legal interest in land or property that may potentially be impacted by the Scheme. "This is a statutory obligation under the 2008 Planning Act and is routine for helping to identify those with legal interest in land. "Completing land referencing questionnaires allows these stakeholders to be consulted on the Development Consent Order (DCO) application and ensures they receive formal notification such as when the Scheme is accepted for examination." It said East Pye is crucial for meeting climate targets to triple solar power by 2030. Around three quarters of people who responded to the first local consultation last autumn were against the plan.
Morocco World
29-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Xlinks Pauses UK-Morocco Undersea Power Cable Project Amid Regulatory Delays
Doha – Xlinks, the British company behind the ambitious project to connect Morocco and the United Kingdom via undersea power cables, has temporarily paused its Development Consent Order (DCO) examination process. In a May 14 letter to the UK Planning Inspectorate, the company requested this halt while awaiting a crucial decision on its Contract for Difference (CfD) from the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. The pause comes as the company seeks financial certainty through a CfD that would guarantee fixed electricity prices for 25 years. According to company sources close to the matter, this is 'a pause in the DCO process, not a suspension,' aimed at preventing 'misalignment of different project development stages.' The main issue holding up the project is the need for price certainty. Xlinks is seeking a guaranteed price of £77 per megawatt-hour for solar energy and £87 for wind energy produced in Morocco's Guelmim-Oued Noun region. Without this financial commitment, investors are reluctant to move forward with the necessary funding. 'Without this clear commitment on a stable price, Xlinks' financial partners are hesitant to inject the necessary investments,' the company stated. Dave Lewis, Xlinks' chairman, has expressed frustration over the delays and frequent ministerial changes in the UK's energy department. In a January interview with Bloomberg, Lewis noted that the undersea cable project could generate up to £24 billion (MAD 300 billion) in investments, with approximately £5 billion in Great Britain alone. The project was designated as a 'nationally significant infrastructure project' by the British government in 2023, highlighting its strategic importance to the UK's energy security. It aims to provide power to nine million British households and reduce CO2 emissions from the UK energy sector by 10%. Read also: Former UK Minister: Morocco Key Player in Britain's Clean Energy Mission The proposed 3,900-kilometer cable would traverse Portuguese, Spanish, and French coastal waters to connect Morocco's renewable energy facilities with the British grid. If completed, it would deliver 3.6 gigawatts of electricity generated from solar parks, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Facing continued delays, Xlinks has begun exploring alternatives. Lewis told The Telegraph in early April that if the British government's response was further delayed, shareholders might redirect resources toward other projects under development, including a potential Morocco-Germany connection. The company opted for direct negotiations with the government rather than going through a tender process, which has contributed to the delays. Political instability in the UK has further complicated negotiations. Meanwhile, competition is emerging. Australian group Fortescue is developing a similar 100-gigawatt electrical connection project between North Africa and the European Union. Fortescue's chairman, Andrew Forrest, has confirmed discussions with Ed Miliband, the British Secretary of State for Energy Security, and various European governments about installing multiple undersea cables that could transport up to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually—nearly equivalent to Germany's total annual consumption. Even with the most favorable outcome, Xlinks' complex authorization process is unlikely to conclude before 2026. While the company targets a 2030 launch date, effective service might not begin until 2031 at the earliest—a timeline that has investors increasingly concerned. The project has already received authorization from the Moroccan side, but still requires approvals from France, Spain, and Portugal, which the cables would cross. Tags: UK MoroccoXlinks project
Ya Biladi
29-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Xlinks requests pause in UK permit process as it awaits pricing decision for Morocco–UK project
Xlinks, the company behind the 4,000 km subsea cable to deliver solar and wind-generated electricity from Morocco to the UK, has paused its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO)—a legal authorization required for large infrastructure projects in the UK. Xlinks formally requested the pause in a letter to the UK Planning Inspectorate on May 14, explaining that it wants to wait for the outcome of its Contract for Difference (CfD) bid before proceeding. The CfD is a pricing mechanism that allows renewable energy developers to lock in a fixed price for their electricity over a set period, ensuring financial stability for large-scale projects. Xlinks expects a decision in late spring and is seeking a price of £70–80 per megawatt-hour (MWh), lower than comparable projects. Aligning project stages The Planning Inspectorate's answer was swift, granting Xlinks said pause on May 15. Sources close to the project told Yabiladi that the pause is not a suspension or cancellation, but a strategic move to align project stages. «The purpose of the pause is to allow the review process to proceed as efficiently and rigorously as possible, while ensuring that the DCO can then progress rapidly», they explained. It is worth noting that the Morocco–UK Power Project aims to deliver 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of dispatchable, clean energy from solar, wind, and battery facilities in Morocco to the UK. The project, which could cost up to £24 billion, is expected to cut UK carbon emissions by 10% and reduce wholesale electricity prices by 9.3%. In 2022, the project was included in the UK's strategic energy vision and recognized as a project of national significance in 2023. For the record, Xlinks has expressed frustration over delays in receiving UK government backing for the project, warning it could move the initiative to another country. Speaking to local media in March, Sir Dave Lewis, chairman of Xlinks, said that the delays in securing government approval are undermining investor confidence.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Our homes were taken for a road that was never built'
In October 2024 the government announced it was cancelling a project to widen part of the A1 in Northumberland, years after National Highways had spent more than £4m on the purchase of houses and land in the way of the scheme. The affected families - including one couple who had to start afresh miles away in Cumbria - said they had "been through hell" as they saw their properties "left to rot" unnecessarily. Melanie Wensby-Scott sat in her car and cried on the day she and her husband left Northgate House, which sits right next to the road not far from Morpeth. The couple had been packing up the last of their belongings and she was still running the vacuum cleaner around when National Highways contractors arrived. "They started boarding up the windows and changing the locks," she said. "I honestly felt like we were being evicted." Melanie and her husband Julian had had "big plans" when they bought the house in 2009. "We put in a new kitchen, new bathrooms, we were planning a new conservatory and we had no intention of ever leaving," she said. But in 2014, the then Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to dual a 13-mile section of the A1 and it became clear their house was in the path of the chosen route. "When they first came round I said I didn't want to move and they basically said I had no option," said Mrs Wensby-Scott. "It was just awful to know you were going to lose your home." The A1 scheme stalled for a few years, alternating between ready to start and still on hold until, in May 2024, Rishi Sunak's government approved the Development Consent Order which gave the final go-ahead. However, Labour swept back into power two months later and cancelled the project in October 2024, stating it had to make "difficult decisions about road schemes which were unfunded or unaffordable". Mrs Wensby-Scott said: "When I heard the news, I just thought 'oh my God all that for nothing'. "Everything we went through, the heartache, the angst, I just couldn't believe it. "You drive past now and it's falling apart, it just looks awful. It's such a shame, it was such a beautiful house." At the other end of the proposed route, Felicity and James Hester were living in East Cottage near the village of Rock. It was a "perfect place" for them because it had a paddock and stabling for their horses, but they soon realised the bulldozers were heading their way. "It was just horrible," Mrs Hester said. "We went through four or five years of utter hell trying to find somewhere we could actually move to, it was just a nightmare. "The way the property market was at the time in Northumberland, we couldn't find anything which matched what we had so we had to move to Cumbria. "Now we're a couple of hours away from all the friends we had." Next to East Cottage is Charlton Mires, a large 200-year-old farmhouse and steadings that had been the home of the Beal family since 1904, but would also need to be flattened for road building. Martin Beal described its loss as "very painful". "I felt like I'd let my family down somehow because I couldn't save our home," he said. "There are just so many memories in there. "They were also taking part of our land, so I couldn't plan ahead. I had sleepless nights, it was very hard." A freedom of information request by the BBC revealed that more than £68m had already been spent on the A1 scheme by the time it was cancelled, and that figure continues to rise by just under £30,000 a month. That is partly because National Highways is obliged to pay insurance and council tax on the unneeded properties, including an empty house premium. Land agent Louis Fell, who represented the Hester and Beal families, described the situation as "a mess" He said: "I know National Highways didn't make the decision to cancel the road, but they need to have a strategy for the properties, perhaps consider refurbishing them and renting them to young families. "For them just to sit here rotting is such a waste of money and it's not a good look for an area popular with tourists." National Highways previously said it was "sympathetic" to Mr Beal's situation after delays to payments for his property. In a statement, it said: "We carefully review expenditure on all our projects to ensure that lessons are learned and processes are improved for any future road improvement schemes. "Discussions surrounding the future of the homes purchased as part of this scheme remain ongoing and will be communicated in due course. "The properties are being managed by our estates team until a strategy is agreed. "During this time, the properties will be secured by our maintenance contractor and inspected on an appropriate basis." Under what are known as the Crichel Down rules, in situations like this the properties should be offered back to the owners, but all three families say they do not wish to go back to homes which have been empty for several years. Martin Beal said his former home was "full of damp and falling apart". He now has permission to build a new farmhouse nearby but when it is built, because it is a direct replacement for Charlton Mires, planning arrangements mean the original farmhouse has to be demolished at a cost to the taxpayer of an estimated £100,000. "It has been there for 200 years, it's a beautiful house. It is just ridiculous it has to be demolished for nothing," Mr Beal lamented. "I'm just so angry about everything my parents and I have been through, and all those millions of pounds wasted for what?" Hear more on BBC Sounds: The home taken for a road that wasn't built Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram. A1 dualling cancelled over £500m cost Consent granted on long-delayed A1 dualling Tens of millions spent on unapproved A1 expansion Decision on dualling A1 delayed again A1 Morpeth to Ellingham National Highways Department for Transport
