Robust strategy, improved public engagement and resourcing needed in the planning system to deliver clean energy mission

• New report from the Aldersgate Group, RenewableUK and CPRE, the countryside charity, sets out how the government can ensure the planning system enables delivery of the 2030 clean power target whilst protecting nature, landscapes, and communities’ right to input.

• A more strategic approach, better communication with the public, as well as efficient resourcing are central to ensuring the planning system plays its part in accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and grid infrastructure.

• The report calls for:

• • A public campaign to make the case for, and highlight the benefits of, renewables and grid infrastructure, led by government with a coalition spanning the private sector, NGOs and other key stakeholders;
  • The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan to help address challenges and front-load consideration of the natural environment;
  • Improved community engagement and efficient resourcing across the planning system.

A new report launched today from the Aldersgate Group, RenewableUK and CPRE, the countryside charity, calls on the government to ensure the planning system enables delivery of the 2030 clean power and 2050 net zero targets.

The three organisations urge the government to lead a public campaign that makes the case for new renewable energy and grid infrastructure, finding that this would lay the foundations for positive community engagement. The report also highlights the opportunity strategic spatial planning provides to consider the natural environment at the early stages of the process. Local authorities and statutory consultees must also be resourced efficiently to participate in the planning system, with access to centralised or regional hubs with relevant expertise.

The report focuses on the planning system for onshore Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) and finds that the NSIP process can work well. By addressing gaps in strategic planning and communications and resolving resourcing challenges, the government can ensure that the NSIP regime acts as an enabler and supports the deployment of renewable energy and grid infrastructure.

If challenges that face the planning system are not addressed, the warnings are stark, with risks of growing public opposition, an unacceptably slow roll-out of renewable energy and grid infrastructure, and worse outcomes for the environment and local communities. Ensuring the planning system acts as an enabler is vital to deliver the government’s clean power mission.

Rachel Solomon Williams, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group, said: “The planning system has a crucial role to play in achieving the government’s clean energy targets, both in terms of delivering the infrastructure required to decarbonise and bringing communities along with the process. The system needs to be updated so that it supports vital renewable energy projects while genuinely ensuring that local people and nature are considered at every stage of the implementation process. This requires strategic thinking, increased resourcing, stronger public information, and collaboration across the system. Swift progress in this area will have a transformative impact on the UK’s net zero transition and, done correctly, can increase the cross-sector and public consensus on the benefits of delivering clean power by 2030.”

Ana Musat, Executive Director of Policy and Engagement at RenewableUK, said: “Transforming our energy system so that we can meet the Government’s clean power target by 2030 will require a new approach to the way the planning system operates to enable us to build projects faster, whilst ensuring that we continue to do so in a way which protects and enhances our precious biodiversity. This means resourcing local planning departments properly and making local communities fully aware of the benefits of hosting essential new energy infrastructure in terms of investment, jobs, energy security and lower bills. It’s vital that we bring people with us by consulting closely with them on each new project, giving them a strong voice in deciding how we will build the clean energy system of the future”.

Roger Mortlock, CEO, CPRE, the countryside charity, said: “Democracy should not be the victim in the delivery of net zero, nor should we settle for bargain basement solutions. Delivery of new infrastructure will be vastly improved if we listen to people’s concerns and take them with us. With real community engagement and the right support in place, the planning system can accelerate our journey to net zero and find solutions that work for people and the landscapes they love. To scale up new infrastructure that could be with us for decades, we need a joined-up strategy for making the best use of our finite supply of land. Rather than think about land use in boxes, let’s consider the land use needs for energy infrastructure alongside farming, housing, climate solutions and nature’s recovery.”

Katie-jo Luxton, Global Conservation Director at the RSPB, said: “We’ve seen increased political will from the UK Government to adopt renewables at pace. A new, strategic approach to planning which frontloads the consideration of nature is absolutely crucial if we are to succeed in meeting our 2030 nature and clean power targets. With less than six years remaining to, we must develop our renewable infrastructure in a way that allows us to tackle the nature and climate crises as one – the two are inextricably linked.

“To do this, we need to ensure the planning system is properly resourced to meet the scale of the challenge. And it’s vital that as the energy transition speeds up, we demonstrate to the public how clean energy can be positive for their lives and communities, without being at the expense of nature and the wild spaces they love.”