Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 42
42
Deferred
Paragraph: 145
Expedite implementation of community benefit proposals, develop toolkit, and regularly review effectiveness
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government expedite the implementation of its current proposals for community benefits to be considered as part of community engagement in the delivery of certain transmission projects. A toolkit of illustrative community benefits and potential levels of support should be developed in order to inform communities what options are available to them as well as providing incentives to developers to mitigate visual or community impacts as far as possible. Progress in implementing Enabling sustainable electrification of the economy 49 community benefit measures should be monitored following deployment, and the effectiveness of the overall approach should be reviewed at least every three years.
Government Response Summary
The government is currently reviewing how to effectively deliver community benefits for electricity transmission network infrastructure, considering a combination of direct benefits and community funds, with further details to be set out shortly. It also mentions NESO developing Electricity Transmission Design Principles.
Paragraph Reference:
145
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
Government agrees that it is important to build support for development by ensuring communities directly benefit. As such government is reviewing how to effectively deliver community benefits for communities living near new electricity transmission network infrastructure. Government is considering a combination of direct benefits for properties closest to new transmission network infrastructure and community funds, in the form of funding that developers and communities can decide how best to spend in their local area. We will set out more details shortly. Regarding visual and community impact mitigation, the National Policy Statements guide decision-making for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in England and Wales, including large electricity network projects. These National Policy Statements cover criteria for good design, as well as criteria for addressing and mitigating landscape, visual, noise, and environmental impacts. The Government has separately agreed to progress a set of Electricity Transmission Design Principles (ETDP) which are being led by NESO. These are intended to provide clarity on infrastructure design in particular locations so that the design can be standardised as well as allowing for more meaningful discussion about choices with communities. In developing the ETDP, consideration will be given to minimising visual and community impacts.