The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published by the government makes compliance with UK climate obligations easier, according to trade body Solar Energy UK (SEUK).
In line with the Clean Power Action Plan published today (13 December), the new NPPF is firm on the urgent need to cut carbon emissions, stating that planning authorities should give “significant weight to the benefits associated with renewable and low carbon energy generation and the proposal’s contribution to a net zero future” when determining applications.
This better aligns the framework with National Policy Statements (NPSs), which cover nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs). Adjustments mean that NPS EN-3 calls NSIPs “critical national priority”, and as such their “national security, economic, commercial and net zero benefits” should outweigh impacts from their development.
The government has also removed a provision added to the NPPF under the previous Conservative government that gave ground for local authorities to refuse consent for solar farms if they were a threat to food production—that solar development impacts food security has been repeatedly proven false.
Chris Hewett, chief executive of SEUK and co-chair of the UK’s solar taskforce led by energy secretary Ed Miliband, said: ““This is a package of reforms that should power up the solar market, moving the dial further towards decarbonisation and lower energy bills. Inserting further provisions on defining the ‘grey belt’ should also be helpful.”
Changes to NSIP thresholds
As proposed earlier this year, the government has revised the capacity threshold that qualifies a project as an NSIP. Although the original consultation proposed making the threshold three times higher than it is currently (150MW up from 50MW), the new framework states any solar generation project over 100MW will be referred to the secretary of state for a development consent order (DCO).
The new threshold will apply from the end of 2025. It also applies to onshore wind developments in response to local councils’ tendency to refuse wind power plant plans.
The argument in favour of raising the threshold is that the application process for a DCO is more complex (and thus expensive) than those made under the Town and Council Planning Act (TCPA).
As a result, projects tend to hover around a 49MW capacity, with projects in the 50-150MW range deemed not cost effective by developers. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) argues that the new proposal should remedy this.
Solar Energy UK pointed out that there have been no solar developments brought forward with capacity between 50MW and 99.9MW in England “due to the extra time and resources of the NSIP regime” although there are 174 either built or in the pipeline with a 49.9MW capacity.
In its response to the consultation on planning reform, the government said the decision to increase the threshold was taken “primarily due to a higher threshold better reflecting the technological advances in solar technology since 2008, when the original threshold was set. Solar projects at the current threshold of 50MW are therefore unlikely to be of a scale, impact or complexity that is proportionate to using the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project process”.
However, as discussed in an article on Solar Power Portal, NSIP applications come with a level of clarity that is not a feature of TCPA decisions, which can be inconsistent. Historically, TCPA refusals have led to successful appeals due to inconsistencies in decision making, causing delayed projects and unnecessary private and public expenditure.
Under the new thresholds, Jonathan Stott, managing director at surveying company Ardent Management, said there is little doubt in his mind that “some projects will be designed down to fall below the threshold, meaning we won’t maximise the potential of so many sites”.
In a post to LinkedIn, Stott said he is keeping his eyes peeled for an influx of 99.9MW solar applications.
Hewett said that “given the pros and cons”, the solar industry will happily “settle” for a 100MW ceiling, although it is less radical than the consultation first suggested.
“Given that a bigger concern has been chronic under-resourcing of planning officers, we are very pleased to see the pledge to allocate £100m to councils’ planning departments, which should make a real difference to decision-making times,” Hewett concluded.
