A new project has been launched to examine how the planning system can be reformed to help the UK achieve its net zero targets while protecting landscapes, nature, and communities.
All the main political parties have promised to deliver planning reforms to help accelerate the development of clean energy infrastructure and enable the building of more homes to help tackle the UK’s housing crisis. But precise details on how these reforms might work in practice remain hazy and campaigners have warned any attempt by the next government to push through a major wave of new onshore renewables and pylon projects is likely to face vocal local opposition.
As such, the green business body Aldersgate Group, trade association RenewableUK, and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) yesterday announced they were teaming up to jointly explore how the planning system could be reformed to enable an acceleration in clean energy development that minimises local opposition.
The group warned that in order to hit either the current government’s target to decarbonise the electricity system by 2035 or Labour’s goal to reach the same point by 2030 new clean energy infrastructure must be built at pace and scale.
For example, projections from National Grid ESO suggest the UK needs to build over five times as many new high-voltage transmission lines by 2030 as have been delivered over the last 30 years.
However, pro-growth campaigners have long cited the planning system as a major barrier to the development of clean energy infrastructure in the UK, with onshore wind developers in particular continuing to face significant restrictions on new projects.
The new project is seeking to consult a range of organisations in order to agree upon a set of shared principles for a reformed planning system that enables rapid decarbonisation while allowing space for civil society and communities to influence the process.
The project is now underway and will deliver interim findings this Spring, followed by final recommendations in the Autumn.
James Robottom, head of policy at RenewableUK, stressed that if the UK is to build the green energy infrastructure required to reach net zero and boost economic growth and productivity, a planning system that is well-resourced, timely, and proportionate is desperately needed.
“We need major upgrades to grid infrastructure which have to be delivered at pace to capitalise on the economic and environmental opportunity the transition provides,” he said.
“We need a planning system that encourages good quality applications which make the best, most efficient use of the available resources and land, whilst engaging closely with communities and stakeholders, ensuring that they continue to have meaningful input into decisions throughout the process.”
Rachel Solomon Williams, executive director at Aldersgate Group, added that the project will bring together a broad cross-section of businesses and society to consider the “live national conundrum” of how the planning system can support the decarbonisation of the grid while also protecting the natural environment.
“A planning system that functions smoothly and predictably would be transformative for the economy, the environment and communities,” she said. “This project aims to offer practical next steps which could help to move the system in that direction, as part of the wider ongoing debate on how we make decisions about our land use.”
Roger Mortlock, CEO of CPRE, added that climate change is the biggest long term threat the UK’s countryside faces.
“To protect its future for us all, we want to make sure that our transition to a net zero energy system is done in the best way, with new infrastructure in the right places,” he said. “That means protecting the landscapes we all value, helping to restore nature, and shoring up meaningful community and civil society influence. We’re committed to collaborating to find solutions so we’re looking forward to working on this initiative with Aldersgate Group and RenewableUK.”
The announcement follows the recent unveiling of plans to establish a new “future system operator” [https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4166239/national-energy-operator-plans-future-operator-advance] for the UK’s energy networks and markets in January. Expected to launch this summer, the body will become responsible for coordinating the whole energy system as it decarbonises and taking into account the connections between different energy sources and their relationship with the wider system.
Moreover, it comes after Communities Secretary Michael Gove launched the government’s latest attempt to speed up planning processes in December [https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4163321/nuclear-plan-relax-uk-planning-rules-small-reactors-draws-mixed-response], confirming plans for a “rapid review” of the statutory consultation regime and fresh moves to relax planning rules in a bid to fast track the development of smaller nuclear reactors [https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4163321/nuclear-plan-relax-uk-planning-rules-small-reactors-draws-mixed-response].
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