The UK and Scottish governments have launched a joint consultation aimed at overhauling Scotland’s planning process for large energy infrastructure projects, which currently faces delays that can extend approval times to four years. The proposed changes, announced on 28 October, intend to speed up approvals and give communities earlier input on projects that impact their regions.
The reforms target a system set by UK legislation in 1989, which has often led to long waits for approvals on projects such as onshore wind farms and power lines. In comparison, England and Wales have seen faster determinations for similar large-scale projects due to previous legislative updates. Officials aim to address this disparity to better support Scotland’s clean energy potential and help the UK meet its 2030 clean power targets.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks highlighted Scotland’s pivotal role in the UK’s clean energy ambitions, citing the country’s vast natural resources and skilled workforce. He said, “Together with the Scottish Government, we are modernising outdated bureaucratic processes to make sure Scotland is firmly open for business as we build the UK’s clean energy future.” Shanks added that the reforms would also protect bill payers from the effects of volatile fossil fuel markets by bolstering homegrown energy production.
The changes form part of a wider push to establish Scotland as a hub for clean energy in the UK. The consultation announcement follows recent news that Aberdeen will host the headquarters of Great British Energy, a public company dedicated to investing in UK-wide clean power projects. The Scottish and UK governments also recently signed a cooperative agreement to strengthen the clean energy supply chain and infrastructure across the nation.
Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Gillian Martin, noted that the proposed legislation would boost investor confidence while advancing Scotland’s net zero targets. “These long-awaited UK legislative reforms will help support Scotland realise our clean power ambitions,” she said. “They will provide investors with confidence that a more robust and efficient process is being applied, supporting economic growth and ensuring our communities have an enhanced opportunity to be heard.”
Key elements of the proposed changes include involving communities earlier in the planning process, requiring that developers engage with local stakeholders before applying for new infrastructure approvals. Under this pre-application stage, the Scottish Government will also gain powers to reject applications that fail to meet specific community engagement standards, as well as the authority to charge fees for pre-application services to support efficient processing.
To reduce approval delays, the reforms propose standardising the appeals process for challenging decisions on new energy infrastructure projects, reducing the window for objections to six weeks. Public inquiries would remain a part of the process but could be substituted by other forms of decision-making where appropriate, informed by a specialist assessor. The Scottish Government has spent £1.9 million on such inquiries since 2021.
Additionally, new powers are proposed to allow the government to adjust existing consents for energy projects as needed, avoiding costly restarts. Further changes include introducing a fee for wayleave applications, a measure that aligns with practices in England and Wales and could support the anticipated rise in demand for clean energy infrastructure in Scotland.
The consultation marks a pivotal step in the UK and Scottish governments’ commitment to positioning Scotland as a leader in clean energy, with enhanced efficiency and community involvement at the heart of the proposed reforms.
