Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted
Review interaction between development consent and grid connection application processes for greater coordination.
Recommendation
There needs to be more coordination between the application processes for development consent and a grid connection, given that each is highly relevant to the other and both will be influenced by the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, and the Land Use Framework. It is essential that developers are not left stuck in a situation in which they cannot progress planning consent without more certainty in relation to the prospects of securing a grid connection and vice versa. • The Government and the National Energy System Operator (NESO) should review how the application processes for development consent and a grid connection will interact, to achieve greater coordination between them. (Recommendation, Paragraph 33)
Government Response Summary
The government states there is already strong interaction between connection and development consent processes, detailing existing policies like reordering connection queues and prioritising projects with advanced planning to ensure coordination.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
There is already a strong interaction between the connections and development consent processes. Under the current reordering of the connections queue, projects that already have development consent are guaranteed to receive a ‘Gate 2’ connection agreement (with a confirmed location and date), even if Clean Power 2030 capacity allocations are full. Furthermore, consented projects with 2026/2027 connection dates are guaranteed to retain those connection dates and locations. In reordering the current connections queue, and in future connection application windows, projects that are further advanced in the planning system are given priority for a ‘Gate 2’ connection offer, for example a project that has had an application for development consent accepted will be ahead of a project that only has land rights. Any project that holds a ‘Gate 2’ connection agreement must reach subsequent milestones, such as receiving development consent, by the dates specified to retain its connection date and location.