With the development of low-carbon infrastructure, such as solar farms, now classified as a “critical national priority”, it should make gaining planning consent easier for developers, but it will likely increase local community opposition to schemes.

The recently published Research Briefing titled ‘Planning for Solar Farms’ in the House of Commons Library states: “The majority of respondents (88%) surveyed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in spring 2023 expressed general support for the use of solar power in the UK. However, only around half (54%) of those surveyed said they would be happy about a solar farm in their local area.”

Furthermore, in written evidence solar developer Lightsource bp stated:

“There is a growing support and recognition for the need for renewables across the UK in light of the urgency to address climate change and the need to ensure domestic energy security, however there is still an element of NIMBY or local political opposition, and further work is required to gain the support of host communities.”

The prospect of gaining the support of host communities is significantly enhanced by early and sincere public engagement and working with local stakeholders, including opposition groups. Having successfully supported developers to gain consent for eight solar schemes to date, our experience is that developers need to counter the impression that communities are having schemes imposed upon them, and the new planning guidance will only increase the potential for communities to feel ‘put upon’. 

It may feel counter-intuitive but, as planning guidance moves further in favour of permitting solar development, it becomes more important to engage and work with local communities as residents increasingly feel that the system is against them, resulting in the potential for greater and more passionate opposition.  While the odds have moved in favour of development, it is not the time for developers to sit back and rely on the planning regime for success, as the need to ‘sell’ the benefits of projects to local communities will become ever more significant.