What happens next
A decision on the application for a Development Consent Order for North Wales Wind Farms Connection was taken on 28 July 2016 and has now been issued.
The period for legal challenge is defined in s118 of the Planning Act 2008. Further information about legal challenge can be found in the letter sent to all Interested Parties accompanying the Secretary of State’s decision and statement of reasons.
If you have any queries about the process please email the Planning Inspectorate at [email protected] or telephone the helpline on 0303 444 5000.
Timeline (37 items)

Decision Documentation/Dogfennau y Penderfyniad
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Decision Letter
The Development Consent Order as made by the Secretary of State
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report/Adroddiad yr Awdurdod Archwilio
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report – Main Report
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report – Appendix A
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report – Appendix B
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report – Appendix C
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report – Appendix D
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report – Appendix E
Other Documentation/Dogfennau Eraill


The Department of Energy and Climate Change have made a request for comments on the application from the Applicant, Natural Resources Wales, Conwy County Borough Council, Denbighshire County Council and Wardell Armstrong LLP (on behalf of the Crown Estate).
Responses to those requests have now been published.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change have made a request for comments on the application from the Applicant, Natural Resources Wales, Conwy County Borough Council, Denbighshire County Council and Wardell Armstrong LLP (on behalf of the Crown Estate).
The deadline for responses is Friday 3 June 2016.


Deadline 11 documents have now been published.
Mae dogfennau Dyddiad Cau 11 wedi eu cyhoeddi.

Deadline 10 documents have now been published.
Mae dogfennau Dyddiad Cau 10 wedi eu cyhoeddi.

The applicant has provided a Heritage Assessment: Effects on Berain, which was accepted at the discretion of the ExA.
Mae’r ymgeisydd wedi darparu Asesiad Treftadaeth: Effeithiau ar Berain, derbynwyd hyn yn ôl disgresiwn yr Awdurdod Archwilio.

The Examining authority has now issued a letter regarding the consultation draft Development Consent Order.
A procedural letter on 14 December 2015 requesting further information from Cadw was also issued.
The Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) has been published.
The deadline for receipt of comments on the ExA’s consultation draft DCO and RIES is noon on Thursday 21 January 2016, deadline 10.
Mae’r Awdurdod archwilio wedi cyhoeddi llythyr ynghlyn y Gorchymyn Caniatâd Ddatblygu ymgynghori draft.
Cyhoeddwyd llythyr trefniadol ar 14 Rhagfyr 2015 yn gofyn am wybodaeth ychwanegol oddi wrth Cadw.
Mae Adroddiad ar y Goblygiadau ar gyfer Safleoedd yn Ewrop wedi ei gyhoeddi.
Y dyddiad cau ar gyfer derbyn sylwadau ar Gorchymyn Caniatâd Ddatblygu ymgynghori drafft yr Awdurdod archwilio a’r Adroddiad ar y Goblygiadau ar gyfer Safleoedd yn Ewrop yw hanner dydd ar ddydd Iau 21 Ionawr 2016, dyddiad cau 10.

The Examining Authority issued a procedural letter on 14 December 2015 requesting further information from Cadw.
The Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) has been published.
Deadline 9 documents have been published.
Cyhoeddwyd y’r Awdurdod Archwilio llythyr trefniadol ar 14 Rhagfyr 2015 yn gofyn am wybodaeth ychwanegol oddi wrth Cadw.
Mae Adroddiad ar y Goblygiadau ar gyfer Safleoedd yn Ewrop wedi ei gyhoeddi.
Mae dogfennau Dyddiad Cau 9 wedi eu cyhoeddi.

The Examining Authority issued a procedural letter on 14 December 2015 requesting further information from Cadw.
The Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) has been published.
Cyhoeddwyd y’r Awdurdod Archwilio llythyr trefniadol ar 14 Rhagfyr 2015 yn gofyn am wybodaeth ychwanegol oddi wrth Cadw.
Mae Adroddiad ar y Goblygiadau ar gyfer Safleoedd yn Ewrop wedi ei gyhoeddi.

The Examining Authority issued a procedural letter on 14 December 2015 requesting further information from Cadw.
Following the close of Deadline 8, 8 December 2015, the Planning Inspectorate wishes to confirm that it did not receive any submissions for this deadline.
Cyheoddwyd y’r Awdurdod Archwilio llythyr trefniadol ar 14 Rhagfyr 2015 yn gofyn am wybodaeth ychwanegol oddi wrth Cadw.
Mae’r Arolygiaeth Gynllunio yn dymuno cadarnhau ni dderbynwyd unrhyw gyflwyniadau ar gyfer Dyddiad Cau 8 ar 8 Rhagfyr 2015.

Following the close of Deadline 8, 8 December 2015, the Planning Inspectorate wishes to confirm that it did not receive any submissions for this deadline.
As noted in the examination timetable, a date is reserved for an accompanied site inspection (if required) on Friday 11 December 2015. The Examining Authority has decided, upon receipt of representations received from interested parties at Deadline 6, that an accompanied site inspection is not required and therefore will not take place.

Deadline 7 documents have been published. This includes a letter from the applicant notifying that the connection to Derwydd Bach Wind Farm has been terminated.
Agendas for the Issue Specific and Compulsory Acquisition hearings taking place on Tuesday 8 December to 10 December 2015 are now published.
As noted in the examination timetable, a date is reserved for an accompanied site inspection (if required) on Friday 11 December 2015. The Examining Authority has decided, upon receipt of representations received from interested parties at deadline 6, that an accompanied site inspection is not required and therefore will not take place.
A submission from Conwy County Borough Council was not published at Deadline 1 in error. This has now been published.

Deadline 6 documents have been published.
Agendas for the Issue Specific and Compulsory Acquisition hearings taking place on Tuesday 8 December to 10 December 2015 are now published.
As noted in the examination timetable, a date is reserved for an accompanied site inspection (if required) on Friday 11 December 2015. The Examining Authority has decided, upon receipt of representations received from interested parties at deadline 6, that an accompanied site inspection is not required and therefore will not take place.
A submission from Conwy County Borough Council was not published at Deadline 1 in error. This has now been published.

The Examining Authority has published a letter setting out how they intend to examine Option B.
The additional representations have now been published, and the applicant has provided certificates of compliance.
Deadline 5 documents have been published.
Mae’r Awdurdod Archwilio wedi hysbysu llythyr sut maent yn bwriadu arholi Opsiwn B.

The Applicant has submitted a Letter in relation to the examination of Option B.
The Examining Authority’s second written questions have been published.
Table 1 – Interested Parties who are objecting to the Compulsory Acquisition of Rights – is provided as a separate document.
Please provide any responses by Deadline 6, noon on Wednesday 18 November 2015.
Deadline 5 documents have now been published.

The Applicant has submitted a Letter in relation to the examination of Option B.
Comments are invited on Option B before Friday 13 November 2015. If you have not previously registered for the examination, you may do so by completing a relevant representation on Option B.
The Examining Authority’s second written questions have been published.
Table 1 – Interested Parties who are objecting to the Compulsory Acquisition of Rights – is provided as a separate document.
Please provide any responses by Deadline 6, noon on Wednesday 18 November 2015.
Deadline 4 documents have now been published.

The Applicant has submitted a Letter in relation to the examination of Option B.
Comments are invited on Option B before Friday 13 November 2015. If you have not previously registered for the examination, you may do so by completing a relevant representation on Option B.
The Examining Authority’s second written questions have been published.
Table 1 – Interested Parties who are objecting to the Compulsory Acquisition of Rights – is provided as a separate document.
Please provide any responses by Deadline 6, noon on Wednesday 18 November 2015.

The Examining Authority’s second written questions have been published.
Table 1 – Interested Parties who are objecting to the Compulsory Acquisition of Rights – is provided as a separate document.
Please provide any responses by Deadline 6, noon on Wednesday 18 November 2015.

The Examining Authority have issued a notification letter about their procedural decision to accept Option B for examination. They have also accepted the proposed provision for the compulsory acquisition of additional land and revised the examination timetable.
Comments are now invited on Option B before Friday 13 November 2015. If you have not previously registered for the examination, you may do so by completing a relevant representation on Option B.
Audio recordings and action points from the recent hearings are also now available.
Mae’r Awdurdod Archwilio wedi cyhoeddi llythyr yn hysbysu eu penderfyniad trefniadol i dderbyn Opsiwn B er mwyn ei archwilio.

The Examining Authority have decided to accept the applicant’s Option B for examination. It has also accepted the proposed provision for the compulsory acquisition of additional land.

Agendas for the Issue Specific Hearings on Tuesday 29 September to Friday 2 October 2015 are now also published.

An outline itinerary for the Accompanied Site Visit on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September 2015 has been published; this will be refined and may be subject to change in the coming days.
Agendas for the Open Floor and Compulsory Acquisition Hearings on Wednesday 23 to Friday 25 September 2015 are now published.
Agendas for the Issue Specific Hearings on Tuesday 29 September to Friday 2 October 2015 are now also published. The Examining Authority will publish more detailed agendas a week in advance of these hearings.

The applicant, SP Manweb, submitted a letter on 26 August 2015 which was accepted by the Examining Authority.
The letter notifies that the connection agreement for the Nant Bach wind farm is likely to be terminated, and that submission of the proposed scheme ‘Option B’ will be delayed.
Interested parties are asked to continue to provide written representations on the existing application in line with the examination timetable. Both the existing application and any ‘Option B’ details will be examined (if the ‘Option B’ details are accepted into the examination by the Panel of Examining Inspectors). Representations made now on the current application details are still required to be submitted to us by midday on the 1st September. If ‘Option B’ is accepted for examination, it will be the subject of a separate consultation with a separate deadline for representations.

The Examination Timetable (Rule 8 letter) has been sent to Interested Parties
Procedural decision following Preliminary Meeting

- Preliminary Meeting takes place
- Examination begins

The notification of Preliminary Meeting (Rule 6 letter) has been sent Read the letter
The letter also includes the draft Examination Timetable and Initial Assessment of Principal Issues.





This application was received by the Planning Inspectorate on 20 March 2015.
The applicant has agreed that all application documents can be published as soon as practicable to help everyone become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed in this application.
This provision is solely for the purpose of allowing more time to all those who wish to become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed ahead of the relevant representation period without lengthening the overall time required for the application process. There will be no opportunity at this stage to make comments on the application. However, if the application is accepted anyone interested in the application will be able to register and express their views during the relevant representation stage and the subsequent examination.
