Consultation on proposed changes to improve the planning system for large energy projects in Scotland
The planning process for new clean energy infrastructure in Scotland will be improved under UK and Scottish government proposals to reform outdated legislation that can delay new projects being built.
In collaboration with the Scottish Government, the UK government has today (28 October) launched a consultation on proposed changes that will make the system for considering large energy projects in Scotland more efficient, while also ensuring that affected communities can have their say on proposals at the right time in the process.
Currently it can take up to four years to approve large electricity infrastructure projects in Scotland, such as power lines and onshore wind farms, under UK legislation that has been in place since 1989.
This system can create uncertainty for investors and communities, which in turn can lead to higher costs being passed onto bill payers. In England and Wales, new large-scale electricity projects can take around half as long on average to be determined compared to Scotland, thanks to previous legislative reforms to streamline the process.
By making vital updates to the energy consents system in Scotland, the UK and Scottish governments aim to support the rollout of new clean energy projects while giving communities early and meaningful opportunities to be heard. The consultation proposes making it a requirement that communities and wider stakeholders are consulted at pre-application stage.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:
Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said:
Today’s announcement forms the next step in joint work from the two governments to cement Scotland’s role in making the UK a clean energy superpower.
It comes after the UK government confirmed Aberdeen as the headquarters for the publicly-owned company Great British Energy, that will own and invest in clean power projects across the UK. This month, Scottish and UK governments also signed an agreement to support clean energy supply chains and infrastructure, via new partnerships between Great British Energy and Scottish public bodies.
The proposed reforms aim to provide developers and communities with an updated system when submitting plans for large clean energy projects. The changes cover the entire process from pre-application to challenging decisions, tackling issues that have already been addressed in England and Wales under previous reforms. They include:
Notes to Editors
The consultation, launched today, will run for 4 weeks until 26 November. Read more about the consultation.
All decisions on new energy infrastructure projects in Scotland are devolved and applications over 50MW are made to the Scottish Government. The UK government is responsible for energy policy and the legislative framework (i.e. Electricity Act 1989) is reserved for the UK Parliament.
Changes to the Planning Act 2008 (such as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects) helped to speed up decision making on energy infrastructure projects in England and Wales. The proposed reforms in this consultation will update the approvals process for energy infrastructure in Scotland.
Following the consultation process, the UK government will bring forward the necessary legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.