Hearings in September
Members of the public who wish to attend the hearings in person should contact the Planning Inspectorate. The Hearings will be held at The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, located at Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon SN5 8UB. Please contact us if you need a lift to the venue.
Tues 15 September
Issue specific hearing (ISH 5)
9.30am
-
4:30pm
Tues 15 September
Issue specific hearing (ISH 5)
on environmental matters, including, but not necessarily limited
to, landscape and visual impacts, cultural heritage, and hydrology,
flood ris...
9.30am
-
4:30pm
Wed 16 September
Issue specific Hearing (ISH 6)
9:30am
-
4.30pm
Wed 16 September
Issue specific Hearing (ISH 6)
on environmental matters, including, but not necessarily limited to, Traffic and Transportation
9:30am
-
4.30pm
Thur 17 September
issue specific hearing (ISH 7)
9.30am
-
4.30pm
Thur 17 September
issue specific hearing (ISH 7)
on environmental matters, including, but not necessarily limited
to, outline management and mitigation plans
9.30am
-
4.30pm
If you wish to attend the hearing, register by Monday 7 Sept
Stop Lime Down's Counsel and Experts will be speaking at the hearings. If you wish to observe either in person or online, please register using the event participation form by Monday 7 September 2026.
If you have any difficulty completing the form please contact the case team by
emailing limedown@planninginspectorate.gov.uk.
PINS Examination Overview
The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) commenced its Examination of the Lime Down Solar application on 21 April 2026.
During the Examination, an independent Examining Authority is considering evidence submitted by the Applicant, local authorities, statutory bodies, technical experts, landowners, community groups and other Interested Parties before making a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Stop Lime Down has engaged specialist planning consultants, barristers and independent experts to ensure that local concerns are fully represented throughout the Examination.
Our Written Representations and supporting documents, running to thousands of pages, set out evidence on the likely effects of the proposed development on the landscape, transport, ecology, flooding, heritage, agriculture and local communities.
Examination Timetable
21 April 2026 – Preliminary Meeting and First Hearings
22 April 2026 – First Issue Specific Hearing, including matters relating to community engagement
1 May 2026 – Main Written Representations and Local Impact Reports submitted
12 June 2026 – Responses to the Examining Authority’s First Written Questions
30 June–3 July 2026 – Open Floor Hearing 2 and further Issue Specific Hearings
15 September 2026 – Further hearings at the National Self Build Conference Centre, Swindon, SN5 8UB
and Accompanied Site Inspection if required.
2 October 2026 – Final submissions and closing statements
21 October 2026 – Close of Examination.
Examiners then have 3 months to write their report which will then be submitted to the Secretary of State
May 2027 – Secretary of State’s decision expected
Click on green link to see the SLD Expert representations
