Councils across the UK have been accused of blocking more than 4.4GW worth of clean energy projects – enough to power 4.4 million homes – despite them having declared a climate emergency.
New analysis from campaign group Britain Remade has found that a fifth of the 350 councils that have passed motions sounding the alarm over climate change have opposed planning applications for renewable and clean energy schemes.
The group said the blocked projects would provide enough battery storage capacity to store nearly 680MW of renewable energy, enough to provide power to 680,000 homes for a year.
Examples of the projects that have been objected to include multi-billion pound schemes such as the Bradwell B nuclear plant in Essex, as well as hyper-local projects.
Britain Remade said: “Despite declaring a climate emergency in July 2019 Colchester Council voted unanimously in August 2020 to reject the proposal for Bradwell B, saying it would destroy an ecologically rich landscape.
“Bradwell B would generate enough clean energy to power 2.2 million homes, it would also create 9,000 jobs during construction as well as 900 permanent operational jobs.”
Another example is that of Medway Council planning officers recommending in June 2020 that the council’s own plan to instal solar panels on the roof of the main council building be refused on the grounds the panels would be harmful to the Grade II listed building – a concrete and brick office block built in the late 1970s. The local authority declared a climate emergency in April 2019.
Sam Richards, founder and campaign director at Britain Remade, said: “It is absurd that up and down the country local councils, despite declaring a climate emergency, have stood in the way of plans that could provide cheap clean energy to millions of homes.
“Some of the examples we have uncovered are breath-taking – a hotel that wants to cut its carbon footprint, but the council won’t let them install solar panels; a battery storage facility across the road from the King’s Lynn Power Station refused planning permission and a man in Wimbledon who was ordered to remove solar panels from the roof of his home despite his neighbour having had similar panels for 10 years.
“Across the country there is huge support for clean energy projects both large and small. But when these plans become part of the planning system, councils tend to hear from the most motivated voices – which unfortunately, tends to be the minority of people who are against a particular project.
“If we are to hit our 2050 net zero target and provide secure sources of clean energy that will help cut the energy bills of millions of people, local councils must match words with deeds.”
Responding to the findings, a spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: “Councils are working innovatively to tackle climate change and reach net zero targets, and are approving record numbers of renewable energy projects to power our way of life into the future.
“This study includes large-scale nuclear power generation, nationally strategic infrastructure projects that need careful consideration at national, regional and local level.
“Unfortunately the numbers of renewable energy projects with council planning permission waiting to be built is also at record levels. We want to work with Government and industry to bring projects through as quickly as possible.
“Local government is committed to supporting the transition to net zero, and is best placed to engage communities and make the balanced decisions to reducing carbon emissions.”