Oral evidence 3pm Wednesday 12 November:
Unlocking
community energy at scale
How can community energy groups get a fair hearing in the
fragmented planning system? ESNZ Committee hears
from both sides
Across two panels on 12 November, the Energy Security and Net
Zero Committee will explore the challenges facing local energy
innovators as they navigate a fragmented planning system to
establish community energy projects.
Each UK nation has its own town planning system. In England, a
“postcode lottery” can mean that the wider community and
environmental benefits of a project are not valued or weighted
consistently across local areas. Yet these “co-benefits” - such
as job creation, local investment, and reduced energy costs - can
be decisive for host communities.
Under current planning rules and case law, community energy
groups may be restricted from formally presenting such local
benefits in support of their applications. Without the financial
or legal resources of commercial developers, these smaller groups
often cannot pursue national-level appeals when applications are
rejected locally.
Evidence to the Committee highlights that many local authority
plans are out of date, based on obsolete assumptions and failing
to account for new technologies - further disadvantaging
community-scale proposals.
The Committee will consider whether local benefits from community
energy projects should become “material considerations” in the
planning process, and how this could help ensure a fairer system
for local projects.
In the second panel, witnesses will discuss legal and policy
barriers as well as examples of successful local planning
initiatives, exploring how to better connect high-level energy
planning for Clean Power 2030 with local decision-making on
community energy.
On Wednesday 12 November
at 3pm
- Councillor , Climate Change Cabinet
Member, Lewes District Council and UK100 Climate Leadership
Academy Graduate
- Tanuja Pandit, CEO, Power Up North London
- Eleanor Radcliffe, Project Manager, Energy Commons Team,
Carbon Co-op
At approximately 4:00pm:
- Robbie Calvert, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Royal Town
Planning Institute (RTPI)
- Dan Stone, Policy and Influencing Officer, Centre for
Sustainable Energy
- Jenny Wigley KC, Planning Barrister, Landmark Chambers
