Labour's overly state-led approach risks undermining the UK's net zero transition

If the UK is to meet its net zero targets, it is essential red tape does not become a burden on business, writes Sam Payne from the Conservative Environment Network (CEN).

Sam Payne | Senior Climate Programme Manager

This year, the UK hit the halfway mark to reaching net zero emissions. Since 2010 we have had £300bn of public and private investment in clean technologies, helping boost renewable energy generation to now regularly provide 50 per cent of our electricity. All this has helped drive innovation and economic growth and rejuvenation across our country.

A large part of this was down to the private sector leading the way and responding to consumers' desire for greener products. This is not to say the government doesn't have a role. State intervention is necessary to kickstart major green projects and pump prime new technologies, for example. The Labour government must tread carefully so as not to upset this important balance.

Unfortunately, their approach so far risks doing exactly that, leaning far more into state-led initiatives.

Their heavy reliance on government-backed schemes, such as GB Energy, risks stifling market-driven innovation and competition. Not to mention, there is no shortage of private capital ready to invest in green projects, which could be unlocked by getting the government out of the way.

A more market-driven energy policy that reduces state intervention would foster innovation and reduce costs.

That is why this government shouldn't be afraid of easing the bureaucratic burden on businesses. Lengthy planning processes, restrictive regulations, and complex permission requirements create barriers that stand in the way of clean technologies, adding cost and carbon. Targeted cuts can bear fruit for industry and are one of the best ways to unlock the full potential of our renewable energy sector and accelerate the transition towards net zero.

Many farmers and landowners would jump at the opportunity to deploy small-scale renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines and solar panels, on their land.

But, once again, planning regulations are unnecessarily complex and time-consuming, delaying these projects that could benefit both the environment and farmers' finances. Cutting these not only give more freedom to those wishing to install low carbon technologies, but could assist in reducing the burden on already overstretched planning departments, allowing other green infrastructure to progress more quickly.

Currently, farmers can install a single wind turbine up to 11.1 metres in height without permission, but must go through planning for higher turbines. The previous Conservative government consulted on extending the maximum height to 30 metres, in line with the rules for new mobile phone masts, but their proposal was never confirmed.

Extending permitted development rights (PDR) to allow farmers and landowners to install small-scale wind turbines and solar panels without the burden of planning applications would help streamline this process, enabling quicker, more efficient deployment of renewable energy systems. In the face of significant recent policies working against farmers, this would give farmers a much-needed boost in freedom and income.

In a similar vein, the government should seek to cut planning red tape to accelerate the rollout of EV charge points. As the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) grows, so too does the need for accessible and convenient charging points. For the government to stand a chance of reaching its zero-emission vehicle targets, there must be a significant increase in charge points to tackle drivers' ‘range anxiety'.

The previous Conservative government did consult on cutting some of this planning red tape. They proposed changes that would allow charge points to be installed within two metres of a highway, and allow faster high powered chargers, which can be taller than the current 2.3 metre height restriction, to be installed in open spaces (such as car parks) without the need for planning permission. The possibility of extending PDRs to cross-pavement cable gullies for on-street EV charging should also be explored.

By making it easier for people to install renewable energy systems and EV chargers, we can drive faster adoption of clean technologies, reduce the reliance on large-scale, state-backed projects, and promote a more decentralised, market-driven energy system. This is the path to a more sustainable, affordable, and resilient energy future, one where innovation and competition - not excessive regulation - lead the way

Having already taken forward one of the Conservative legacy PDR reforms around the installation of heat pumps in close proximity to buildings, the new Labour government should now bring forward these further PDR extensions.

If the UK is to meet its net zero targets and maintain its position as a global leader in green energy, it is essential to ensure that red tape does not get in the way of the private sector doing the right thing.

First published by BusinessGreen. Sam Payne is the Senior Climate Programme Manager of CEN.