Development process

Applying for Consent

Whitestone is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), because it would produce more than 100MW of energy. The Planning Act 2008 sets out the planning process for NSIPs and requires that we apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to build, operate and decommission Whitestone. Unlike planning applications which are determined by local authorities, NSIPs are submitted to and decided at the national level. Key milestones include:

• Acceptance: The Planning Inspectorate reviewed our application and accepted it for examination.
• Pre Examination: The period when the Planning Inspectorate will prepare for examination by appointing an Examining Authority. Individuals can register to be ‘interested parties’ and submit their relevant representation.
• Examination: Over a period of up to 6 months, the Examining Authority will examine our application through a series of written questions and hearings.
• Recommendation: The Examining Authority will have up to 3 months to make a recommendation on the application.
• Decision: The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero will have up to 3 months to make the final decision.

Click here for more about the planning process for the project.

The design process for Whitestone has been iterative, and informed through two rounds of consultation as well as ongoing engagement with stakeholders, and the results of ongoing environmental and technical assessments.

Protecting the environment

Due to its size, we are required to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Whitestone. The EIA assesses the likely significant effects that the project would have on the environment throughout project’s lifetime during construction, operation, and decommissioning. If any significant impacts are identified, then we must also explain how we would mitigate them.

 

• Scoping: During this stage, we presented our proposed approach and methodology for completing the assessments, known as a ‘scoping report’. This report presented an initial view of the potential impacts associated with Whitestone. The Secretary of State then consulted on our scoping report with a variety of technical bodies and local stakeholders and provided their ‘scoping opinion’ that now defines how we are approaching the EIA. View the scoping opinion here.
• Draft Environmental Statement (ES): The preliminary results of the environmental assessments were presented in the draft ES.
• Environmental Statement (ES): The final version of the ES has been submitted as part of our DCO application.

 

Consulting with local communities and experts

The Planning Act 2008 requires us to consult on our project prior to submitting the application. We have consulted with local authorities, technical bodies including Natural England and the Environment Agency, and members of the community. This pre-application consultation is an important part of the development of Whitestone, to ensure that valuable local knowledge is built into the design.

 

• First Consultation: Our first consultation occurred from 18 November 2024 to 31 January 2025. During this period, we presented out initial proposals including the draft masterplan. Because this consultation was not required by the Planning Act 2008, it was considered ‘non-statutory’. Feedback from this consultation informed the updated proposals we submitted during the second consultation.
• Second Consultation: During the second consultation from 16 September to 28 October 2025, we presented our updated proposals and the Draft ES. This consultation is considered our ‘statutory consultation’, as required by the Planning Act 2008. Feedback from this consultation has informed the updated proposals we submitted in the DCO application.