Written questions, answers and statements

Solar Power: Land Use

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Question for Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

UIN 218, tabled on 17 July 2024

Question

Alicia Kearns
Conservative
Rutland and Stamford
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Written Statement on Solar and protecting our Food Security and Best and Most Versatile (BMV) Land, published on 15 May 2024, HCWS466, whether it is his policy to retain the guidelines set out in that statement.

Answer

Michael Shanks
Labour
Rutherglen
Commons

Answered on

23 July 2024

The Written Ministerial Statement made in May by the previous government did not change the policy on this matter that is set out in the relevant parts of the National Policy Statement (NPS) for Renewable Energy and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It quoted extracts from that NPS and the NPPF. Decisions on solar that is Nationally Significant Infrastructure will be guided by the NPS in full, noting there are transitional provisions in place as the NPS was only designated this January. The NPPF will continue to be a material consideration for Local Authority planning decisions on solar.

Answered by

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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