Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of a delay of trial trenching requirements for solar farms until after consent is granted upon the protection of archaeological sites from disturbance.

Criteria for assessing potential impacts of large-scale solar projects on the historic environment are set out in planning guidance. In most cases, applicants are required to seek expert assessment. Where assessments include investigative work, such as trial trenching, this should be proportionate.

Conducting this work during the pre-application planning phase enables developers to consider findings and, if necessary, mitigate impacts by adapting project design at an early stage.