Regulation 18 draft Local Plan

Support

Representation ID: 6556

Received: 08/01/2024

Respondent: Econergy International Limited

We support the principle of a presumption in favour of solar and renewable energy. We do not object to individual sites being identified as 'ground mounted solar PV opportunity areas' in the Local Plan. However, it is important to recognise that, following detailed consideration, some of these sites may not be suitable due to environmental factors or grid connection proximity/capacity for example. It is therefore essential that the identification of potential sites does not exclude other sites from coming forward. Indeed, policy should be worded positively to encourage/support renewable energy development on unallocated sites subject to meeting key policy tests.

Comments noted. The wording of CC8 would not preclude support for ground mounted solar projects that lie outside the opportunity area designation on the Proposals Map. Para 005 in PPG on Renewable and Low Carbon Energy states, however, that: ‘Identifying areas suitable for renewable energy in plans gives greater certainty as to where such development will be permitted. For example, where councils have identified suitable areas for large scale solar farms they should not have to give permission outside those areas for speculative applications involving the same type of development when they judge the impact to be unacceptable.’