North Yorkshire has a green light for a major clean‑power site on farmland south of Selby. The Secretary of State made the Helios Renewable Energy Project Order on 3 December 2025 and it came into force on 29 December 2025, clearing the way for construction once detailed plans are signed off by the council.

The scheme is classed as nationally significant and tops 50MW. It pairs a ground‑mounted solar farm with large‑scale battery storage, on‑site substation works and security, welfare and access infrastructure. Enso Green Holdings D Limited is named as the undertaker in the Order.

Power will feed straight into the grid at National Grid Electricity Transmission’s Drax 132kV substation via new connection works. Northern Powergrid also has defined roles on specific parts of the build, with protective provisions set to keep grid assets safe and live during works.

Residents near Burn and along the A1041 should expect construction traffic controls. Before breaking ground, the developer must agree a Construction Traffic Management Plan with North Yorkshire Council and the highway authority. The Order allows temporary speed limits, diversions and passing places during build, but requires police consultation, advance notices in local papers and signage on affected stretches.

Public rights of way within the site can be closed temporarily during construction and decommissioning, with a dedicated management plan, clear publicity and safe pedestrian access to properties. Once built, the plans include permissive paths inside the scheme so walkers aren’t locked out entirely.

Noise is capped in operation: 40 dB LAr at night and 50 dB LAr by day at the nearest homes, measured to BS 4142 standards. An operational noise assessment based on the final layout must be approved before switching on, and any substantiated complaints will trigger further testing and mitigation.

Battery safety is hard‑wired into the consent. A Battery Safety Management Plan must be agreed with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency, covering construction, operation, decommissioning and the movement of cells. Fire‑water storage, bunding and containment are specified.

Flood risk work is mandatory before the substation and storage elements proceed. A flood defence bund and level‑for‑level floodplain compensation are required, designed to the ‘2080s’ climate allowance using the approved site‑specific model. The strategy must prove it avoids increasing flood risk elsewhere and set out long‑term maintenance.

The environment brief is detailed. A Landscape and Ecological Management Plan must deliver at least a 10% biodiversity net gain, with seasonal grazing, hedgerow and tree planting, and long‑term habitat care. Monitoring of ground‑nesting birds, including skylark plots, is required, and failed planting must be replaced within five years.

Soil handling is tightly controlled through a Soil Resource Management Plan for construction, operation and decommissioning. There’s also an archaeological written scheme of investigation to protect finds and features, agreed with the council and delivered by qualified specialists.

With Burn Gliding Club on the doorstep, glare has been taken seriously. A Glint and Glare Mitigation Strategy for each phase must be submitted to the council and provided to the Club at the same time, and then implemented as approved to keep air users safe.

The Order leans on regional skills. For every phase, the developer must submit a Supply Chain, Employment and Skills Plan. That points to work for local contractors, plant operators and electricians during construction, and a small operational team for inspections, grounds and grid interfaces thereafter.

Timings are clear. Work must start within five years of 29 December 2025. A formal phasing plan comes first, with the council notified within 21 working days when each phase is finally commissioned. Decommissioning must begin no later than 40 years after final commissioning, with decommissioning security in place by year 15 and fresh plans agreed 12 months before works start.

Highway alterations such as new site accesses off the A1041, widened verges, visibility splays and temporary lights are allowed under the consent, but require council sign‑off and must be reinstated to the street authority’s satisfaction after use.

Utilities and rail protections are extensive. National Gas Transmission, National Grid Electricity Transmission, Northern Powergrid and Network Rail all have bespoke safeguards. The developer must cover reasonable costs for diversions or protection works, maintain agreed insurance and security, and secure asset‑protection agreements where needed.

For landowners, the Order grants powers to acquire land and rights, but only once a government‑approved guarantee or security for compensation is in place. Private rights are protected where possible and compensation routes are set out if access is suspended or land is used temporarily.

What happens next? Expect rounds of plan approvals: construction environmental management, traffic, public rights of way, soil, flood, battery safety, operations and the final detailed design. The Order also requires a complaints procedure and community liaison during build, so residents should see notices well before any road changes or closures begin.