Guidance Changes over Solar and Wind Farms should give Communities greater say

On the 29th July 2013, the Department for Communities and Local Government published the amended guidance. It made clear how important communities are in the decision-making process for planning applications concerning renewable energy installations. It comes as a reaction to substantial outbreaks of NIMBYism across the country, with many proposed installations struggling, or failing, to get through the planning stages in the face of fierce local opposition.

TurbineThe new planning guidance makes explicit that the need for renewable energy does not automatically override local environmental and heritage protections and the concerns of local communities. Access the full guidance on the link.

It addresses issues many communities have raised when it comes to developments such as onshore wind and solar farms and ensures environmental considerations like landscape and heritage are given proper weight when determining applications.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said:

“The views of local people must be listened to when making planning decisions. Meeting Britain’s energy needs should not be used to justify the wrong development in the wrong location.

“This new guidance is an important step in ensuring that communities can continue to shape their local surroundings and that landscape and heritage are properly considered and protected.

“Planning always works best when local communities themselves have the opportunity to influence the decisions that affect their lives. That is why it is so important every area has a local plan in place as soon as possible.”

The urgent need for new guidance on this subject has meant that the document was published in advance of other planning practice guidance that the Government hopes will shortly be available. The new internet based system has not been without its problems, however, and despite Lord Matthew Taylor’s December review announcing that the 237 documents would be available ‘by the end of July’, the Communities and Local Government department has so far only been able to vaguely indicate an August preview date.

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The guidance document is not alone in bolstering the impact of local communities, with other changes including making pre-application consultation with local people compulsory for more significant onshore wind applications, and ensuring communities reap increased benefits from hosting renewable energy developments that do proceed. On that note, the industry will be encouraged by Government to revise its community benefits protocol to instigate a 5-fold increase in the value of community benefit paid for by developers.

 

02/08/2013                                                                                                               SRJ/LCB

 

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