Commenting on proposals by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to limit the number of Judicial Reviews which can be lodged against clean energy projects, including wind farms and grid infrastructure, on the grounds that they are designated as being of 'critical national importance', RenewableUK’s Executive Director of Policy Ana Musat said:
'Soaring global oil and gas prices which we can’t control show why it’s essential for Britain to move much faster towards energy independence by building vital new wind farms and grid, to get power from where it’s generated to where it’s needed at the lowest cost for billpayers.
'It can take over ten years for a wind farm to go through the planning system, due in large part to repeated Judicial Reviews. Making JR processes proportionate will cut costs and unlock economic growth by providing a greater degree of confidence and certainty to investors. We would urge all stakeholders to engage meaningfully at the pre-application and application stages of new projects, to ensure that any concerns are raised early and can be considered and addressed in a timely way, rather than lodging legal challenges after projects have been given the go-ahead.
'Strengthening the UK’s energy security is a national priority, especially as demand is set to increase rapidly in the years ahead with the increasing electrification of transport and heating'.
Source: RenewableUK
