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Summary
The Motion is proposed by Councillor Helen Crawford (Aird and Loch Ness Ward). It calls for:
A Real Time ONLINE Mapping of all applications within the knowledge of Council to be published on the Council website for members of the public to view. This will include all renewables developments. This map will therefore present a holistic overview of the applications that are currently in the pipeline, including but not limited to, all proposed electricity generation, storage and transmission developments, grid connection, energy generation stations, BESS, and wind farms.
The Leader of Highland Council to lobby Scottish Government to put an end to so called “salami-slicing” – the process where developers submit piecemeal applications so that developments are not viewed in their entirety, and also a call for new Highland specific Planning Guidance on “salami-slicing” to be issued.
Specific Planning Training for Community Council members from planning experts on major energy infrastructure developments.
A full Review of the actions that Highland Council can legally take to ensure that local community views are considered in the planning process.
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The Motion
MAJOR ELECTRICITY DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Highland Council:
NOTES there are a number of major proposed electricity generation, storage and transmission developments, which have been or are likely to be presented to The Highland Council for planning permission, or for a response as a Consultee, in the near future.
ACKNOWLEDGES that, without prejudice to future determinations, such major infrastructure developments are very likely to have significant scheme specific and cumulative environmental and socio-economic impacts upon communities and landscapes within the Highlands.
RECOGNISES it is desirable that communities across Highland are fully engaged in the consultation and planning process and are suitably empowered to respond on an equal basis given the resources deployed by the developers, SSEN and statutory consultees.
NOTES that currently these major development applications are not considered in a Highland wide context, rather they are lodged individually in a piecemeal, fragmented fashion and therefore considered individually, without reference to the effects from the entirety of developments across Highland being considered and therefore with a lack of understanding as to what the totality will mean for our communities and our environment.
THEREFORE, this Council AGREES:
(1) REAL TIME MAPPING - To produce a real time map, publicly available online, showing all the major renewable energy related developments within Council’s knowledge, existing and proposed, including those which are or will come to Council for planning and or the Energy Consents Unit, be they operational, permitted developments or otherwise. In so far as legally permissible, the map will also include an indication of anonymised approaches made to Highland Council for pre-planning advice. This map will therefore present a holistic overview of the applications that are currently in the pipeline, including but not limited to, all proposed electricity generation, storage and transmission developments, grid connection, energy generation stations, BESS, and wind farms.
S95 Officer Financial Assessment: regarding proposal (1) above, there are anticipated to be financial implications associated with the establishment of a real-time mapping tool, as well as ongoing staffing/support/maintenance of the tool. Further detailed investigation would be required to establish what potential solutions would need to be acquired or developed, and the costs or range of costs which may arise.
(2) THE APPROACH TO APPLICATIONS
(i) The Leader will continue dialogue with the Scottish Government to ensure that the full cumulative aspect of developments, including the potential grid connection, is considered within the submission of an application under S36 of the Electricity Act for an energy generation station, and for all BESS applications of whatever scale, and the Leader to report regularly to Group Leaders regarding progress, and
(ii) If an increase in the MW threshold for applications under S36 of the Electricity Act is implemented so that some additional generating stations would fall within the Town and Country Planning Acts, the Council will update its Planning Guidance for such developments to ensure that the cumulative impacts are considered in full, including the grid connection aspects of a development.
S95 Officer Financial Assessment: the proposals as detailed in (2)(i) and (ii) above are assessed as having the potential for additional member and officer time impact, but are not anticipated to result in a financial implication.
(3) COMMUNITY COUNCIL MAJOR APPLICATION PLANNING TRAINING
To take urgent action to better equip communities regarding the planning process and how to present their case, by providing planning training to Community Councils by the Planning Advisory Service and external experts specifically regarding such major applications.
S95 Officer Financial Assessment: the proposal as detailed in (3) above is assessed as having a potential financial implication. There would be expected to be additional costs associated with the proposed training. Actual costs would depend on the nature, frequency and delivery method of training, once established.
(4) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Without ever expressing a prior opinion on the determination of any application, to engage with our communities regarding the anticipated environmental and socio-economic impacts, given that some within our communities are concerned about a wide range of issues, and to review what actions the Council can legally take to further ensure that local community views are considered in the planning process and for Officers to present a paper to the next Full Council for consideration.