[UPDATE: For the subsequent government response to this further consultation, please view this post.]
The government has published the following response to the consultation titled "Consultation on proposals regarding the planning system for electricity storage" (which ran for 10 weeks from 14/01/2019 until 25/03/2019), along with a further consultation (which runs for 8 weeks from 15/10/2019 until 10/12/2019):
- October 2019: Follow up consultation on proposals regarding the planning system for electricity storage - Includes Government Response to original consultation (pdf) (link).
Notes:
- The "Executive Summary" at the start of the above (response and further consultation) document includes the following information:
- "On 14 January 2019 the Government launched a consultation on proposals to amend the treatment of storage within the planning system, this closed on 25 March 2019. We are publishing a follow up consultation as part of this Government response because, based on new evidence from stakeholders, we have decided to change our consultation position and make further reforms to help remove barriers to electricity storage.".
[...]
- "We have considered all of the evidence and arguments provided by respondents and as a result we have updated our policy position. As part of this Government response we are conducting a follow-up consultation, closing on 10 December 2019 on our new preferred policy position, which is to;
>>> Carve out electricity storage, except pumped hydro, from the NSIP regime in England and Wales, meaning that the primary consenting route in England will be under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA). Section 35 of the Planning Act 2008 will continue to apply in England, allowing the Secretary of State to direct projects into the NSIP regime, where she considers it appropriate. In Wales, planning decisions for electricity storage (except pumped hydro) of any size will generally fall to be consented by the relevant Local Planning Authority under the TCPA regime, whereas currently this is only the case for electricity storage (except pumped hydro) below 350MW.
>>> Retain the 50MW NSIP threshold in the case of pumped hydro storage. Due to the larger planning impacts of pumped hydro projects and the fact that they often require other consents (e.g. authorisation for the compulsory acquisition of land) which can be provided through a Development Consent Order (DCO), it may be more efficient for it to go through the NSIP regime than seeking planning permission locally. Therefore, we believe that the NSIP regime remains the most appropriate consenting process for this technology.".
- "Alongside this Government response and follow-up consultation we have published draft legislation which would implement the policy outlined above.".
- "As part of the previous consultation we also asked whether there were any other areas of the planning system which treat storage inappropriately. Following the responses received we have provided further clarifications around permitted development rights for premises where the existing function is not generation as well as rights for statutory undertakers. We have also provided some clarification over how the Environmental Impact Assessment legislation applies to electricity storage facilities.".
Other sources of information: