DECC Development Consents and Planning Reform Newsletter

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy sent this bulletin at 10-02-2011 11:18 AM GMT


Development Consents and Planning Reform Newsletter

Edition 22 – February 2011

 

This is the newsletter of the Development Consents and Planning Reform (DCPR) Team of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). It aims to share factual information with a range of stakeholders interested in the Team’s work on planning control of energy infrastructure (including power stations, windfarms and overhead lines).

 

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Planning Reform Update

 

Revised Draft Energy National Policy Statements 

 

Our consultation on the revised draft energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) was held between the 18th October 2010 and 24th January 2011. We received 2456 consultation responses by email, post and via the NPS consultation website.

Parliament is also scrutinising the revised draft energy NPSs.

 

There was a debate with the chamber of the House of Commons on 1st December 2010, following the recommendation from the previous Energy and Climate Change (ECC) Select Committee. You can read the debate on the Parliament website.

 

The new ECC Select Committee held two oral evidence sessions, including one with Charles Hendry, Energy Minister, on the revised draft NPSs.

 

The Committee also called for written evidence on the revised energy NPSs and published a report of their findings on 27th January. Full details are available on the DECC select committee pages of the Parliament website.    

The House of Lords also scrutinised the revised draft energy NPSs by holding two debates in Grand Committee on 11th and 13th January 2011. You can read the debates at:

 

 We are currently analysing all responses received from the public consultation and will carefully consider all the points raised, along with those made by Parliament, before finalising the NPSs. The Government intends to present the finalised energy NPSs to Parliament for approval later in the spring.

 

Localism Bill 

 

The Localism Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on 13 December 2010, and included provisions to abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission and return the responsibility for making decisions on major infrastructure projects (including energy) to Ministers.  

The Localism Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 17 January 2011. The Localism Bill Committee is now accepting written evidence.

 

Further details on the progress of the Localism Bill, including links to Localism Bill debates in Parliament can be found on the Parliament website.

 

 

Major Infrastructure Planning Reform Work Plan  

 

In December 2010, the Government published its Major Infrastructure Planning Reform Work Plan.

 

This sets out the government’s specific proposals for the major infrastructure planning regime including:

·         clarifying that the DECC SoS will take decisions on energy infrastructure;

·         a commitment to review the regime’s effectiveness after the MIPU is established and a number of varied cases have been through the process; and

·         establishing a new informal ministerial group to monitor progress on pre-Planning Act applications.

 

Please contact Liz Milsom (elizabeth.milsom@decc.gsi.gov.uk) if you need further information on the energy aspects of Planning Reform.

 

 

Onshore Update

 

Tirley Gas Pressure Reduction Installation (PRI)  

 

On 13 December 2010 planning permission was given after an appeal by the National Grid in respect of the proposed PRI at Tirley, Gloucestershire. The PRI will allow for the Milford Haven to Tirley gas pipeline to be connected to the National Grid High Pressure Transmission system.

 

If you require any further information contact Gary Mohammed (Gary.Mohammed@decc.gsi.gov.uk)

 

 

Caythorpe Gas Field Gas Storage Supplementary Compulsory Purchase Order 

 

Following earlier approval of the Caythorpe Gas Field gas storage project in Yorkshire, Caythorpe Gas Storage Limited submitted a supplementary Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to the Secretary of State for confirmation in October 2010. As statutory objections to the CPO have been received, the Consents Team is currently liaising with the Planning Inspectorate on arrangements for a public inquiry.  

 

If you require any further information contact Robert Pridham (Robert.Pridham@decc.gsi.go.vuk) 

 

 

Hinkley Point Temporary Jetty  

 

An application was submitted by NNB Generation Company Limited on 14 December 2010 for a Transport and Works Act Order for the acquisition of land and rights on land related to the construction of a temporary jetty that would be needed in the event that the Hinkley Point ‘C’ power station is given consent. (An application for consent for the works that will form the jetty is being dealt with by the Marine Management Organisation under the Harbours Act 1964.   An application for consent for the power station itself will be submitted to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in due course).

 

If you require any further information contact Keith Welford (Keith.Welford@decc.gsi.gov.uk)        

 

 

Recent Decisions  

 On 11 November 2010, the Secretary of State consented Spalding Energy Expansion Ltd’s application for a 900MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

If you require any further information contact Gary Mohammed (Gary.Mohammed@decc.gsi.gov.uk)

 

 

Consent was also granted by the Secretary of State on 11 November 2010 for Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd’s application for an onshore wind farm with a maximum generating capacity of 60MW at Ray Estate, near Kirkwhelpington, Northumberland.

 

If you require any further information contact Susan Bragoli (Susan.Bragoli@decc.gsi.gov.uk)

 

 

On 25 January 2011, the Secretary of State consented Scottish Power (DCL) Ltd’s application for a 1000MW CCGT generating station at Damhead Creek, Kent.

 

If you require any further information contact Gary Mohammed on Gary.Mohammed@decc.gsi.gov.uk

 

 

Further Information

  

 

Further information can be found on the DECC’s website.

 

Copies of previous decision letters and consents can be obtained from the following: https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/EIP/pages/recent.htm 

 

Information on all applications currently under consideration at DECC can be found at: https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/EIP/pages/applications.htm 

 

Stakeholders should note that new applications for major power stations are considered by the IPC: http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/

 

 

 

Offshore Update

 

Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

  

 

Work on implementing the provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Act is now well underway. A final version of the Marine Policy Statement (MPS), the high level overarching policy framework document that will guide the implementations of marine planning, has now been agreed at official level and will be subject to Cabinet Committee clearance prior to publication in March this year. Guidance on the operation of the Marine Planning System that will flow from the MPS has also been finalised and will be published concurrently with the MPS. A second iteration of the Regional Partnerships’ proposals for Marine Conservation Zones was received in November last year. DECC provided comments and followed up with a meeting in December with the Defra sponsorship team to discuss our concerns over the MCZ identification process and renewables industry representation on the Regional Partnerships. We continue to work with Defra to address these concerns. Work is also in hand on reviewing the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) corporate documentation and the Government’s Service Level Agreement with them.

 

If you require any further information contact Tony Keegan (Tony.Keegan@decc.gsi.gov.uk)

  

 

Offshore Projects

 

The grant of consent for the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm (developer E.on) was announced on 9 February 2011. The project lies to the north of the mouth of the Humber Estuary and will be a minimum of 8km from the coast.

If you require any further information contact Keith Welford (Keith.Welford@decc.gsi.gov.uk.)

Decommissioning of Offshore Renewable Energy Installations under the Energy Act 2004

The guidance notes which were published 4 years ago have now been reviewed and updated. The main changes were to rebrand and refresh the document and to insert a number of amendments to the Energy Act 2004 that were put in place by the Energy Act 2008. There have been no changes to the process for decommissioning, however, industry are advised to refer to the new guidance. The guidance can be found on DECC’s website.

If you require any further information contact Tony Keegan (Tony.Keegan@decc.gsi.gov.uk)