While much of the draft NPPF talk has been about housing, it proposes some punchy changes to policy for renewable energy and infrastructure:

- An unequivocal statement of support “for all forms of renewable and low carbon development” that decision-makers should take note of.- Clarification that significant weight be given to the contribution to renewable energy generation and a net zero future. This is the first time the NPPF has indicated weight and was an obvious omission from earlier policy. It should leave decision-makers in no doubt of the importance of renewable energy in the planning balance.

- Lower agricultural land grades remain the preference, food security as material consideration has been removed. This is entirely sensible since it has been demonstrated that the biggest risk to food security is climate change, not use of land for renewables.

- The recent policy statement on onshore wind has been confirmed with the removal of the footnotes that previously prevented them. Therefore, applications for wind turbines will be assessed in the same way as any other renewable.

- It brings spatial planning to the fore by stating that local plans should identify suitable areas for renewable energy and infrastructure. While not preventing development outside of these areas, it provides the means to plan housing alongside energy infrastructure. Analysis by Third Revolution shows that currently very few authorities are doing this and risks the delivery of homes and the growing demand for electricity that comes with them.

- If all this wasn’t enough, the Government is due to publish the results of its consultation on the thresholds for nationally significant infrastructure projects.

This is only a consultation, albeit the proposals carry weight due the accompanying Written Ministerial Statement, but it presents a clear direction of travel following statements made by Labour during the election.

Clarifying the weight to be given to renewable energy along with such a clear statement of support is long overdue and should reduce inconsistent interpretations of policy. The removal of food security as a planning matter is welcome, but the opportunity to clarify the position on use of agricultural land for solar particularly needs attention.

An exciting element of the draft is the emphasis on spatial planning for renewables. Planning authorities are expected to identify spatially where they would like renewable energy infrastructure to go, and in doing so, if they want developers to take any notice they will need to work with the grid operators to ensure the capacity to connect projects in those areas. Why is this so important? Because if they don’t then delivering the number of new homes expected elsewhere in the draft simply won’t happen since these homes require access to the same electricity grid infrastructure as the renewable energy generators.

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