Written questions by Spencer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of existing planning regulations for considering the views of local residents.

Planning regulations require local planning authorities to publish all planning applications for a minimum of 21 days to allow communities to provide their comments. Where relevant planning considerations are raised by local residents within this period these must be taken into account by the local planning authority. The weight attached to a particular consideration is a matter of judgement for the local authority as the decision-maker in the first instance. The government considers that the existing statutory publicity and consultation requirements for planning applications strikes an appropriate balance between ensuring sufficient consultation with communities and an efficient determination period for the applicant.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to require Environmental Impact Assessments to be carried out for all rural solar farm developments with a generating capacity below 50 megawatts.

Projects with a generating capacity of 100MW and less are considered under the provision of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required only for certain types of development. An EIA may be necessary where the local planning authority determines that the development is likely to give rise to significant environmental effects, having regard to matters such as scale, location, and environmental sensitivity.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to amend planning regulations for solar farm applications to require greater consideration of local residents’ views.

Planning regulations require local planning authorities to publish all planning applications for a minimum of 21 days to allow communities to provide their comments. Where relevant planning considerations are raised by local residents within this period these must be taken into account by the local planning authority. The weight attached to a particular consideration is a matter of judgement for the local authority as the decision-maker in the first instance. The government has no plans to amend this procedure specifically for solar farm applications.