Barker Announces Local Control For Large Scale Solar
Following a question in Parliament from Sarah Wollaston, Conservative MP for Totnes in Devon, Greg Barker, The UK Minister for Energy, has stated that the government is looking at new planning guidance for renewable projects that will give greater power to local councils and communities to veto projects considered inappropriate to local needs or concerns.
Barker stated there is a sense of urgency over such changes with some local governments claiming they have been reticent to deny some large scale applications for fear of costly legal reprisals. The new guidelines would effectively give communities the right to veto projects but the details on what the guidelines for such decisions is unknown and will be watched closely by industry and communities alike.
There has been growing concern over large scale renewable projects across the board and changing government support and guidelines has seen companies push through projects to ensure they benefit from a particular financial support before a certain timeline. This urgency has resulted in some cases where local community has felt that not enough time has been allowed for consultation and discussion.
Barker made comment at a recent Cornwall solar conference to the protestors gathered outside and warned the industry then that this was a new development for solar activity in the UK and something to be taken note of. He promised then he would look into ways to improve community control over local assets and sites of interest and beauty.
Barker stated that large projects need to ensure that local opinion is key to any progress and that some businesses place undue pressure on local councils for a quick and speedy decision for new activity or risk losing local income and benefit. For some this is seen as a form of fiscal pressuring that does not allow renewables to maintain positive feedback within communities and ultimately consumers.
Barker also pointed out that each case would have to be dealt with as there was no generalisation that best fit solar and the community's needs. Some brownfield sites may be inappropriate due to scientific interest or visual position and other areas have a heritage significance that cannot be ignored.
The new guidelines will follow last month's legislation allowing local communities the ability to block large scale wind farms. Some MPs and business leaders stressed that guidelines must now be forthcoming as uncertainty beyond Autumn would see the risk of denting confidence for investors looking at UK renewables. Residents will have to be consulted and significant opposition will result in a project being banned. At present there is no understanding on how these guidelines will be monitored or put into action.
