The government has granted a Development Consent Order for the Helios Renewable Energy Project, a solar-and-storage scheme promoted by Enso Green Holdings D Limited. The Planning Inspectorate confirmed the decision on 3 December 2025, noting it was the 102nd energy application completed within statutory timescales. Minister Martin McCluskey signed the decision on behalf of the Energy Secretary, according to the GOV.UK notice.

What is consented is ground‑mounted solar with battery storage and a new grid connection. The site spans roughly 475 hectares between Camblesforth and Hirst Courtney in North Yorkshire, with an export cable to National Grid’s Drax substation. The scheme is officially described as generating “over 50MW,” though local reporting during the examination put the export rating near 190MW.

The promoter, Enso Green Holdings D, is part of the Enso Energy–Cero Generation partnership that has been active across UK solar and storage. Recent milestones include energising Larks Green near Bristol, the first UK solar project connected directly to the transmission network, and securing Contracts for Difference in Allocation Round 6 for four sites totalling 164MWac. In July 2025 Enso and Cero also reached financial close on a 360MW co‑located portfolio, with Bramley to start construction first using LONGi BC modules.

For investors, a simple way to frame the build cost is to use Europe’s average installed cost for utility‑scale PV. IRENA’s 2024 data places this at about $779 per kW; at roughly £0.80 to the dollar that is around £620 per kW. On that basis, a 190–250MW build implies PV capex of roughly £120m–£160m before grid works, land and financing. Pricing will vary by module choice, trackers, and civils.

Storage adds another moving piece. Recent UK market commentary points to two‑hour systems costing a little over £500,000 per MW, with cell prices trending lower and analysts seeing $80/kWh as plausible by 2026. If Helios co‑locates, say, 50–100MW of two‑hour storage, that would indicate an additional £25m–£50m on today’s benchmarks. Final sizing has not been disclosed.

Build‑phase employment on comparable NSIP solar projects runs into the hundreds. Government communications around the 700MW Tillbridge scheme cited more than a thousand jobs, while developer updates on the 400MW East Yorkshire project referred to several hundred roles through a multi‑year programme. Once operational, staffing typically drops to a small permanent team for O&M and environmental management.

Grid is a practical anchor for timelines. The Helios cable route will run to National Grid’s Drax substation, already a hub for recent large solar NSIPs. For context, East Yorkshire Solar estimates around a year to build grid connection cables and roughly two years for the PV site itself; Helios’ programme will depend on contractor selection and final design.

Policy context matters. Parliament has approved raising the NSIP threshold for onshore wind and solar from 50MW to 100MW from 31 December 2025, with savings provisions for projects already in the system. Helios was accepted for examination in July 2024, so it progresses under the existing regime.

On route‑to‑market, the project could pursue a CfD or a private PPA. Allocation Round 7 opened in August 2025 with results due late 2025 to early 2026, and reforms now extend CfD contract length to 20 years for eligible technologies-helpful for debt sizing if Helios bids in a future round.

Enso’s supply‑chain footprint suggests a mainstream kit mix. The JV has recently specified LONGi back‑contact modules and Sungrow storage on other assets, while Larks Green demonstrated Enso and Cero’s ability to deliver at transmission scale in coordination with National Grid. None of this pre‑commits Helios, but it signals the sort of procurement the market is clearing today.

For North Yorkshire readers, the basic facts are now public: a DCO is in place, the site sits west of Drax, and the promoter is an experienced JV. The next investor‑relevant markers are contractor awards, grid connection date, and offtake decisions. We will also watch whether the consented capacity aligns with the c.190MW figure cited in local coverage during the examination.