Solar industry hails English planning reforms

The solar energy sector has welcomed England’s newly introduced planning reforms, which aim to streamline the development process for large-scale renewable energy projects, including solar farms. These changes are expected to remove barriers, simplify regulations, and support the country’s transition to net-zero carbon emissions.

Industry leaders have highlighted how the reforms will accelerate clean energy adoption while boosting investment in large-scale solar infrastructure. This policy shift reflects the UK government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy capacity and fostering a sustainable energy future.

Planning authorities are now required to prioritise the benefits of renewable energy and its contribution to net-zero goals. Key changes include raising the capacity threshold for solar farms classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 50MW to 100MW, easing development for mid-sized projects. Transitional arrangements and £100m in funding for council planning departments aim to resolve delays and enhance decision-making efficiency. Another change strikes out a provision added to the NPPF by the previous Government, which gave spurious grounds for local authorities to refuse consent for solar farms by presenting them as a threat to food production. For more information, please visit Solar Energy UK.