17.07.2024
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In our article at the end of June we asked whether the sun was shining on solar in the UK, given that whilst there was a lot of positivity in policy terms through the release of the 2024 National Policy Statements, the now previous Conservative Government had delayed making a decision on the 500MW Sunnica Solar Farm on four occasions and had then also confirmed that its decision on the 350MW Mallard Pass solar farm was also to be delayed.
It turns out a lot can change in a short period of time. Fresh from removing the policy impediment to the delivery of onshore wind, the new Labour Government then turned its attention to solar. On Friday Ed Miliband, in his role as the new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, granted Development Consent for both the Sunnica and Mallard Pass Solar Schemes, along with the Gate Burton Solar Farm, in total consenting an unprecedented 1.35GW of solar generation power in one day, sufficient to power some 424,000 homes. What is also significant is that whilst Examining Authorities (i.e. the Inspectors) for the Mallard Pass and Gate Burton schemes had recommended that development consent be granted, the recommendation for Sunnica was that it be refused.
In both the Mallard Pass and Gate Burton projects the respective Examining Authorities and the Secretary of State agreed that the public benefits associated with the developments, primarily being the substantial positive weight given to renewable energy generation and climate change considerations, outweighed any harms identified. In the case of Mallard Pass, the applicant was successful in securing a consent for 60 years rather than the normal 40 years, and it was considered that the impact of the loss of Best and Most Versatile Agricultural land would have a negligible impact on food production when considered at a county level.
However, in Sunnica’s case the Examining Authority felt that there were substantial disbenefits, primarily landscape and heritage related, which when combined with other less substantial harms would outweigh the benefits of the scheme. The Secretary of State agreed with many of the judgements on harm, but in particular disagreed with the perceived impacts on agricultural land and ultimately again took the view that the public benefits would outweigh the disbenefits of that scheme so granted consent.
Last Friday was certainly a clear and bold statement of intent from Labour regarding solar projects and a statement they have wasted no time in making. It was a day which was welcomed by the solar industry and one which Labour will no doubt hope creates certainty for new solar schemes coming forward across the country, as it seeks to generate investment in renewables and to move towards the net zero target. However, there was significant local objection to each of those three schemes, so a high prospect of legal challenges being sought, so there may still be some further twists in the tale.
If you have a solar farm development, or a similar energy related project that you would like to discuss further, please contact DHA Enviroment's David Harvey.
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