Getting around the map
- Move: drag the map. Zoom: scroll, pinch, or use the + and − buttons (bottom right).
- Tilt and turn (3D): right-click and drag, or hold Ctrl and drag. On a phone or tablet, drag up or down with two fingers to tilt, and twist to turn. The compass button (bottom right) turns the map back to north.
- OpenStreetMap / Aerial (top right) switches between a street map and aerial photography.
- 2D / 3D (top right) flattens the map or raises each zone to its maximum published height.
- On a phone, tap the grey bar at the top of this panel to shrink or expand it.
Finding your way round the scheme
- Map tab: the buttons Whole scheme, Western Site & data centre, Eastern Site and Walpole take you to each area on the flat (2D) map. Press 3D (top right) to raise the heights.
- Layers: tick or untick any item in the Map tab to show or hide it. Published layers come from the developer's plans. Awaiting information layers are presumptions where details haven't been published.
- Click any shape to see what it is, its maximum height, its source document and what is still unknown. The Near me tab shows that spot's distances to each part of the scheme.
Checking your own area
- Near me tab: enter a postcode, or press Use my location (your browser will ask permission first). You'll see straight-line distances to the solar areas, the data centre zone, the substations, the overhead line and the site boundary.
- From there, Street View facing it opens Google Street View at that spot, pointing towards the nearest part of the scheme. Stand here in 3D drops you to eye level on this map.
- Villages tab: 45 nearby villages, sorted by distance to the site boundary. Tap one to zoom to it on the flat map, framed with the nearest part of the scheme, and see its distances. Use Stand here in 3D for an eye-level view.
Reading and responding
- Facts: key figures, maximum heights, design commitments and the timeline.
- Awaiting: what the developer hasn't published yet, and the presumptions this map makes.
- Objections: issues people may raise, with what the documents say and the developer's position.
- Respond: deadlines, postal and email addresses for the scheme consultation and the government's data centre policy consultation.
- Documents: links to the official documents online.
- Local info: parish council pages and local campaigns about Longmarsh.
- Download (Map tab): the map data as GeoJSON, for use in GIS software.
Please read the Disclaimer tab. This map is unofficial and approximate, so check anything important against the original documents.
Published From the applicant's plans
Awaiting information Presumptions
Anything hatched in amber, and the grey solar blocks in 3D, are presumptions. They show the scale of what's allowed, not a design. Exact building positions, panel rows and tower sites have not been published yet. Tap any shape to see its source.
Enter a postcode, use your location, or tap anywhere on the map. You'll see how far that spot is from each published part of the scheme, with a link to Google Street View pointing towards it.
Straight-line distance from each village's OpenStreetMap centre point to the nearest edge of the published site boundary. For Tilney St Lawrence the parish church is used, because the OpenStreetMap point sits in a field. Individual homes may be much closer. Tap a village to zoom to it.
The applicant says these parts of the scheme are still being developed. The map can't show them accurately until more information is published, expected in the Environmental Statement with the DCO application in April 2027.
Not yet published
- Detailed layout: where panel rows, inverters, collector compounds and tracks go inside the solar areas. Leaflet p4; Scoping Report §4.4.8
- Data centre buildings: positions and shapes of up to 10 buildings (25 m maximum, 70 ha maximum footprint). The map shows the whole zone raised to 25 m instead. §4.4.37–4.4.38
- Battery storage: container layout and capacity. Its capacity will be "scaled appropriately" to the solar, and it is likely to sit next to each substation. §4.4.28, §4.4.32
- Overhead line towers: tower positions and count. Only the 100 m corridors, the 50 m and 35 m maximum heights, and "no tower within 100 m of a home" are published. §3.2.11, §4.4.47–4.4.50
- Panel type and direction: fixed or tracker, and south-facing or east–west in fields where glint and glare could affect RAF Marham. §4.4.5–4.4.8
- Mitigation and screening areas: identified but left off the layout plan. §4.1.1
- Access and construction routes: HGV routes, site entrances and compounds. Leaflet p4; §4.2.1
- Walpole connection: the boundary near Walpole substation will be refined once the connection point is confirmed. Leaflet p18
- Community benefits: the community fund and local energy initiatives. §4.2.2
- Data centre lighting, noise and backup generator details. §4.4.39, §4.4.54
Presumptions this map makes
- Each built zone is raised to its published maximum height across its whole area. These are the same heights the applicant used for its visibility study (ZTV).
- The overhead line is drawn down the middle of its 100 m corridor.
- Towers are spaced every ~350 m (West) and ~300 m (East). This is for illustration only. No tower positions or spacings have been published.
- The 300 m line is measured from the edge of each zone. The commitment applies to the buildings themselves, which haven't been placed yet.
Grounds people may raise about the scheme. Each one shows what the published documents say, the developer's position and points to raise. Tap a heading to open it.
The strongest responses are specific: a place, an effect, a policy and a change you want. Most points can go to the developer now (closes 26 November 2026), and to the Planning Inspectorate once the application has been submitted and accepted. Points about national policy, such as farmland or how data centres are approved, also belong in the government's data centre consultation (closes 8 January 2027). See Respond. This is not legal advice.
Loss of prime farmland (best and most versatile land)In the documents
The issueMuch of the site is predicted to be "best and most versatile" (BMV) farmland, which policy defines as Grades 1, 2 and 3a. The draft data centre policy says poorer-quality land should be used where possible.
What the documents sayWalpole substation land is all predicted Grade 1. Most of the Western Site, where the data centre goes, is Grade 2 and 3a, with some Grade 1. The Eastern Cable Route is mostly Grade 2 and 3a, with Grade 1 east of the River Great Ouse. The Eastern Site is Grade 2 and 3b in the west and mostly 3a in the east. These are predictive grades from a national map; the developer plans field soil surveys. The draft data centre policy says that if significant development of farmland is necessary, poorer land (3b, 4, 5) should be used where possible, and that the Secretary of State should ensure higher-quality land has been avoided where possible. The borough's Local Plan (Policy LP24, as quoted in the Scoping Report) says the council will seek to protect productive and BMV land, and that applications for other uses that would adversely affect it are likely to be refused unless the benefits outweigh its loss.
Developer's positionAbout 85% of land within 6.7 km of Walpole substation, and about 95% within 20 km, is BMV, so there is little alternative near the grid connection. After 60 years the solar land would be restored so it could return to farming.
Points to raiseThe data centre, Western substation and batteries, Walpole substation and Western overhead line are treated as permanent development, so no return to farming is proposed for that land. Ask for the field-survey results, the area of each grade under permanent and under temporary development, and evidence that poorer land was considered. National food security is also in scope: the developer has said it will assess it.
Scoping Report §14.4.5–14.4.6, §4.5.4, §5.6.4 (KL&WN Local Plan Policy LP24); draft Data Centres NPS paras 362 and 379
Site chosen because the land was available (land ownership)Subject to clarification
The issueThe published documents do not say who owns the land. It has been suggested locally that much of it may be in a single ownership. This has not been confirmed and should not be relied on.
What the documents saySite selection was influenced by grid capacity at Walpole, "availability of suitable land", distance from population centres and access to A-roads. The developer says it is holding "landowner discussions" and refers to "landowners" in the plural.
Developer's positionAlternative locations, routes and designs, and the reasons for its choices, will be set out in the Environmental Statement.
Points to raiseWho owns land is not normally a planning reason in itself. The useful argument is about alternatives: if the site was picked because the land was easy to get rather than because it is the best place, the developer should show what other sites were assessed. If the application seeks compulsory acquisition powers, it must include Land Plans and a Book of Reference listing the owners and other interests in the land. In the meantime, you can ask the developer to confirm the position.
Scoping Report §2.4.3, §16.6.5; local suggestion (unverified)
Data centre added to an energy projectIn the documents
The issueA data centre is not automatically a nationally significant project. It can enter this process only through a direction from the Secretary of State under Section 35 of the Planning Act 2008, so that it can be decided in the same application as the solar farm.
What the documents sayThe developer has submitted a request for a Section 35 direction for the data centre campus. The draft policy says data centres of at least 100 MW of IT load are likely to be considered suitable for direction. That policy is still a draft: its consultation closes 8 January 2027 and Parliament's scrutiny runs to 17 February 2027.
Developer's positionCo-locating the campus means solar power reaches it at low cost, which reduces demand on the grid.
Points to raiseWhether a 1 GW hyperscale data centre on farmland should be decided together with a solar scheme, and under a policy that has not yet been finalised. Make this point in both consultations (see the Respond tab).
Scoping Report §1.4.5; draft Data Centres NPS paras 24–25 and 39; Leaflet p12
Scale and permanence of the data centreIn the documents
The issueThis is a hyperscale campus of about 1 GW: up to 10 buildings up to 25 m tall (including rooftop plant) on up to 70 ha, built in phases over about 10 years from 2029.
What the documents sayThe data centre is treated as permanent, together with the Western substation, batteries and the Western overhead line. If the data centre doesn't go ahead, the area would be used for more solar.
Developer's positionIt sits at least 300 m from homes and will be screened by landscaping.
Points to raiseIts height and bulk in a flat, open Fen landscape; a construction period of about 10 years; continuous operation; and whether a 300 m separation is enough for buildings of this size.
Scoping Report §4.4.35–4.4.45, §4.5.4, §4.6.3; Leaflet p17, p20
Flood risk on the Western SiteIn the documents
The issueMost of the Western Site, where the data centre is proposed, is in the Environment Agency's highest tidal flood zone.
What the documents sayMost of the Western Site is in Flood Zone 3 (tidal), with a small area of Zone 2 at its southern end and one area of Zone 1 near its centre. The Western Cable Route is entirely in Zones 2 and 3, and the Walpole land almost entirely. The draft data centre policy says the Secretary of State must be satisfied that the Sequential and Exception Tests have been applied where required.
Developer's positionFlood risk will be assessed with the Environment Agency, the Lead Local Flood Authority and the Internal Drainage Boards.
Points to raiseExactly where the data centre buildings sit in relation to the flood zones (including the Zone 1 area), how the Sequential Test has been applied, and how the buildings would stay safe over their lifetime.
Scoping Report §13.4.52; draft Data Centres NPS para 312
Landscape and new overhead linesIn the documents
The issueAbout 14 km of new overhead line: about 7 km on towers up to 50 m, and about 7 km on towers up to 35 m. Add about 1,400 ha of solar areas (measured from the layout plan) with panels up to 4.5 m high, fencing and CCTV poles.
What the documents sayThe visibility study (ZTV) used towers of 50 m and 35 m and a 25 m data centre. The Western line would run between existing overhead lines. The Eastern line runs south of the existing Walpole–Norwich line.
Developer's positionGrouping the new line with existing lines limits new effects. Sensitive heritage areas would be crossed underground.
Points to raiseAsk for photomontages from your own viewpoints, and for the underground option to be considered for longer stretches.
Scoping Report §4.4.47–4.4.52, §10.3
Heritage settingsIn the documents
The issueThe scheme is close to designated heritage assets.
What the documents sayStradsett Hall Registered Park and Garden (Grade II) is about 0.1 km west of the site. The underground cable section is intended to avoid it and the Grade I Church of St Botolph. The developer expects 11 scheduled monuments, 9 Grade I and 11 Grade II* listed buildings, Fincham Conservation Area and Stradsett Hall park to go forward for detailed assessment. Scheduled monuments near the site include the bowl barrow known as The Mound, about 200 m south of it.
Developer's positionThere are no designated assets within the site. Underground cabling, setbacks and screening reduce effects on their settings.
Points to raiseEffects on the setting of these assets, and on undesignated heritage and archaeology. An archaeology strategy is promised.
Scoping Report §4.4.48, §10.3.13, §11.6.23; Leaflet p9, p19
Wildlife: Islington Heronry SSSIIn the documents
The issueA Site of Special Scientific Interest lies inside the Western Site boundary.
What the documents sayIslington Heronry SSSI is within the site, with a minimum 100 m buffer to above-ground infrastructure.
Developer's positionThere will be no direct loss of the SSSI, and the scheme will seek to deliver a significant biodiversity net gain.
Points to raiseWhether a 100 m buffer is enough to protect the heronry from construction disturbance, operational noise and lighting.
Scoping Report §4.2.1, §9.6.7, §10.3.17; Leaflet p10
Noise, lighting and air qualityIn the documents
The issueData centres operate continuously and include cooling infrastructure, backup generators and security lighting.
What the documents sayBackup generators will be assessed as diesel, the worst case. The data centre will need extra CCTV, security and external lighting. High-voltage areas, including substations and batteries, will have lighting but will not be permanently lit.
Developer's positionThe remote location and distance from homes limit effects. Generators run only for emergencies and testing.
Points to raiseAsk for night-time noise limits at named homes, generator testing hours, and lighting levels, especially across flat open land where light travels far.
Scoping Report §4.4.38–4.4.39, §4.4.53–4.4.54; Leaflet p17, p20
Traffic and constructionIn the documents
The issueConstruction is expected to start in 2029, with the solar operating by 2032. The data centre would be built in phases over about 10 years, to around 2039. New site accesses would be created.
What the documents sayHGV routes will avoid Tilney St Lawrence, Barton Bendish and Fincham "where possible". Construction routes and access points are still being developed.
Developer's positionAn outline Construction Traffic Management Plan will be included in the application.
Points to raiseAsk for firm commitments on routes and hours, not "where possible". Raise specific junctions, lanes and school routes.
Scoping Report §4.2.1, §4.6; Leaflet p4, p20
Battery fire safetyIn the documents
The issueBattery storage is planned at both the Eastern and Western Sites.
What the documents sayThey will comply with National Fire Chiefs Council guidance on spacing, emergency access and water supply. Capacity is not yet published.
Developer's positionBatteries let the scheme store solar power and support the grid.
Points to raiseAsk for capacity in MWh, distances to homes and watercourses, fire-water containment, and Norfolk Fire & Rescue's views.
Scoping Report §4.4.28–4.4.33
How much power the data centre actually takes from solarIn the documents
The issueSolar panels generate nothing at night and less in winter, while a data centre operates continuously.
What the documents sayThe scheme would provide up to 1.3–1.4 GW of electricity, and the data centre's capacity is about 1 GW. The Western substation will allow electricity to be imported from the grid where required, for the data centre and battery storage.
Developer's positionCo-location reduces the electricity the data centre needs from the grid, and nearby offshore wind adds supply.
Points to raiseAsk for an hour-by-hour or annual energy balance showing how much of the data centre's use is met by on-site solar and how much comes from the grid.
Scoping Report §1.1.2, §4.4.23, §4.4.35; Leaflet p12, p14, p17, p20
Distance from homesIn the documents
The issueWhether the minimum distances between the scheme and homes are enough.
What the documents sayThe developer's minimum distances are 30 m from homes and other sensitive buildings to panels, 100 m to inverters and transformers, and 300 m to the data centre, substations and battery storage.
Developer's positionSite-specific screening and planting will be agreed with the nearest residents.
Points to raiseUse the Near me tab to find your own distances, and ask for larger buffers where you live.
Scoping Report §4.2.1
Cumulative effects and community benefitIn the documents
The issueSeveral other energy projects are coming forward around Walpole, and the community benefits are not yet defined.
What the documents sayThe developer notes "a number of projects" in development or construction near Walpole substation. A community benefit fund is proposed, but no amount has been given. The draft data centre policy says strategic data centres should agree a Local Benefit Plan, developed with the local community and linked to the development's size.
Developer's positionNear Walpole, the scheme's impact is limited to an underground cable close to the existing substation and an overhead line within the corridor of the existing lines.
Points to raiseAsk for a list of the projects included in the cumulative assessment, and for figures on community benefit.
Leaflet p19; Scoping Report §4.2.2; draft Data Centres NPS (Foreword, Local Benefit Plan)
Section numbers refer to the EIA Scoping Report (Oct 2026) unless stated. Links are in the Documents tab.
There are two separate consultations. One is about this scheme. The other is about national planning policy for all large data centres, which would be used when deciding schemes like this one. They are run by different organisations, so respond to each separately.
This scheme · run by the developer
Longmarsh Green Energy consultation
Closes 11.59pm, Thursday 26 November 2026
EPL Norfolk Limited's pre-application consultation. It covers the layout, access, construction routes, screening, biodiversity and community benefits. The developer says feedback will help refine its proposals before it submits its application to the Planning Inspectorate (expected April 2027).
- Post
Freepost LONGMARSH GREEN ENERGY
No stamp or further address needed.- Email
- info@longmarshgreenenergy.co.uk
- Online
- longmarshgreenenergy.co.uk/feedback
- Form
- Printable feedback form (PDF)
- Phone
- 0800 246 1782
This scheme · the decision-maker
Planning Inspectorate (EN0110048)
Formal comments open after the application is accepted
The project is at pre-application stage, so the Inspectorate isn't taking representations yet. Once the application is submitted and accepted, you can register as an interested party and comment during the examination. Until then, sign up for updates.
- Updates
- Get email updates on EN0110048
- Email
- longmarshgreenenergy@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
Put "Longmarsh Green Energy" in the subject line.
- Phone
- 0303 444 5000 (Mon–Fri, 9am–4pm)
- Guide
- Have your say about a national infrastructure project
National policy · run by government
Draft National Policy Statement for Data Centres
Closes 11.59pm, Friday 8 January 2027
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade is consulting on the policy that the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State would use to judge large data centre applications. The government particularly wants to hear from local communities where data centres are being considered. Say whether you're responding as an individual or for an organisation.
- Online
- Respond online (preferred)
- Email
- datacentrenps@dsit.gov.uk
- Post
Data Centre Growth Policy Team
Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
2nd Floor
22 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2EG
- Formats
- For a paper copy, braille or large print, email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Parliament's scrutiny period for the draft runs from 28 October 2026 to 17 February 2027 (draft NPS, para 39).
Writing a useful letter
- Put the project name and reference at the top: Longmarsh Green Energy (EN0110048).
- Give your name and postcode so your comments can be linked to a place.
- Be specific about where. The Near me tab gives your distance to each part of the scheme.
- Say which element you mean (panels, data centre, overhead line, traffic, a footpath), what effect you expect, and what change you'd like.
- For the national policy consultation, answer its questions directly. That is the format the government says is most useful.
Sources: consultation leaflet p21–22; Planning Inspectorate project page; GOV.UK consultation page (checked 29 Oct 2026).
Official documents, all hosted online by their publishers. Large files are marked.
From the developer
Planning Inspectorate (EN0110048)
Project pagewebStage, timetable and contacts.
Project documents librarywebThe Scoping Opinion (expected November 2026) will be published here.
EIA Scoping Report – main textPDF · 3 MBProject description (ch. 4), heights, and how each topic will be assessed.
Scoping Report Appendix A – Figures Part 1PDF · 51 MBSite location, areas, layout plan (Fig. 1-3, used for this map), visibility (ZTV) maps.
Scoping Report Appendix A – Figures Part 2PDF · 38 MBHeritage, agricultural land, flood risk and study-area figures.
Scoping Report Appendices B–EPDF · 32 MBCommitments register, ES structure, built heritage assets, desk studies.
Official site boundary (GeoJSON)JSONThe order limits shown on this map as the red boundary.
How the NSIP process workswebThe Planning Inspectorate's guide to each stage.
National data centre policy
Key local sources of information about Longmarsh. These are independent websites. This viewer isn't responsible for their content, and linking to them doesn't mean it endorses them.
Parish councils
Campaigns
Links checked on 29 October 2026.
Disclaimer
An independent, unofficial guide. This viewer was made to help people find and understand public information about the proposed Longmarsh Green Energy scheme. It is not produced or endorsed by EPL Norfolk Limited, Evolution Power, the Planning Inspectorate, the government, or any council.
Based on newly published documents. The information comes from documents published in October 2026, early in the consultation. It may contain errors or omissions, and the scheme and documents will change. Sources were last checked on 29 October 2026.
- Map shapes are traced from the developer's indicative plans and are approximate. Anything marked awaiting information is a presumption made for this viewer, not part of the proposals.
- Distances are approximate straight-line measurements. Do not rely on them for property, legal or financial decisions.
- The Objections and Respond tabs summarise published documents and policy to help people take part. They are not legal, planning or other professional advice, and they do not represent the views of any organisation.
Please check everything against the original documents (linked in the Documents tab) before you rely on it or quote it, and seek professional advice about your own circumstances. To the extent permitted by law, no responsibility is accepted for any loss, or any decision made, as a result of using this viewer.
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1,980 haTotal site, inc. cable routes
1.3–1.4 GWScheme output (up to)
~1 GWHyperscale data centre campus
Up to 10Data centre buildings, max 25 m
70 haMax data centre footprint
60 yearsSolar operating life
Scoping Report §1.1.2, §3.2.1, §4.4.35–4.4.38, §4.6.2
Maximum heights
- Solar panels (fixed or tracker)
- 4.5 m
- Data centre, 400 kV substation, BESS (West)
- 25 m
- Substation & BESS (East)
- 8 m
- Walpole substation works
- 8 m
- Western Cable Route towers (~7 km)
- 50 m
- Eastern Cable Route towers (~7 km)
- 35 m
- Security fencing / CCTV poles
- 2.5–3 / 5 m
§4.4.6, §4.4.22–4.4.23, §4.4.38, §4.4.47–4.4.48, §4.4.51–4.4.52; Walpole height from ZTV parameters §11.4.6
Design commitments
- Panels at least 30 m from homes and other sensitive buildings.
- Inverters and transformers at least 100 m away.
- Data centre, substations and battery storage at least 300 m away.
- No overhead line tower within 100 m of a home.
- 100 m buffer from Islington Heronry SSSI.
- Construction HGVs routed away from Tilney St Lawrence, Barton Bendish and Fincham where possible.
§4.2.1, §4.4.50
Timeline
15 Oct–26 Nov 2026Community consultation
Apr 2027DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate
Sep 2027–Mar 2028Examination (about 6 months)
Jul–Sep 2028Secretary of State decision
2029Construction starts
2032Solar, batteries and data centre phase 1 operating
c. 2039Data centre fully built (about 10 years from 2029, 2 halls per phase)
Leaflet p5, p20; §4.6
After 60 years
The Eastern Site and all Western solar are removed. The data centre, Western substation and batteries, Walpole substation and the Western overhead line are treated as permanent.
§4.5.1–4.5.4
Have your say
The scheme consultation closes 26 November 2026, and the national data centre policy consultation closes 8 January 2027. Addresses and links are in the Respond tab.
About this map
This is an independent visualisation, not produced by the applicant. The published shapes were extracted from the vector layers of Scoping Report Appendix A, Figure 1-3 (Layout Plan, rev 01, 13/10/2026). They were placed on the map using the Ordnance Survey 1 km grid printed on the figures. Two figures placed separately agree to within 2.5 m, and the shapes follow field edges and the existing Walpole substation on aerial imagery. The applicant calls the boundary indicative.