POWERING
BRITAIN.
EMPOWERING
COMMUNITIES.
Building more renewable energy generation and transmission infrastructure is essential for meeting the UK’s growing energy demands, boosting our energy security, and decarbonising our energy system. We need this national infrastructure but, to avoid potential backlash, we must ensure that it delivers clear local benefits to the communities hosting it.
NATIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE.
LOCAL
BENEFITS.
The Conservative Environment Network is calling for local benefits for the households, communities, and local authorities hosting new national infrastructure.
Through amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we are asking this Labour government to:
EXTEND the proposed energy bill discount scheme to households near to new energy generation infrastructure, not just new transmission infrastructure.
REQUIRE the establishment of community benefit funds for developers and operators of new energy infrastructure.
GUARANTEE 100% of business rates from new energy infrastructure projects go to the local authority that approves the project
GET
INVOLVED
Support our campaign to power Britain and empower communities by posting about it on social media.
If you would like to lead locally on this campaign, please contact elinor@cen.uk.com.
WHAT IS THIS
LABOUR GOVERNMENT PROPOSING?
This Labour government is taking a hardline approach to building new infrastructure by pushing through projects despite local opposition. Just days into office, three solar farms, classed as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, were approved despite concerns raised by local authorities and residents.
Labour is proposing a £250 energy bill discount per year for 10 years for households near to new transmission infrastructure, i.e. pylons. This is only one quarter of the £1,000 that the previous Conservative government recommended. Labour is currently not proposing to offer the same benefit for generation infrastructure, like wind and solar farms. In the interest of fairness, the government should expand the energy bill
discount scheme to include energy generation infrastructure.
By bulldozing over community concerns, Labour’s state-led approach to net zero and its arbitrary goal of 2030 clean power risks the energy transition losing public support. Recognising the need for new energy infrastructure, but wanting to make sure that impacted communities benefit more directly from it, Conservatives should champion the creation of a community benefits fund, paid for by the developers of this infrastructure. Such a fund will ensure that national infrastructure delivers local benefits. Without clear local benefits, we risk stalling the energy transition.
WHY IS COMMUNITY COMPENSATION IMPORTANT?
UK electricity demand is set to increase by 50% by 2036 compared to 2022 levels, and by over 200% in 2050.
New infrastructure is a need not a want. While community concerns about the impact of new infrastructure are understandable, we need to build more energy infrastructure to meet our growing energy demands. Community benefits can help to reconcile this problem. The sacrifice made by communities should be recognised by the government and developers. This is why CEN is campaigning for national infrastructure to deliver local benefits.
Ignoring community concerns and not engaging with communities risks creating widespread and organised backlash against new clean energy projects, which could risk derailing the energy transition. Community benefits can empower the communities hosting the new infrastructure that will power Britain. This can help to reduce potential backlash to new infrastructure as the impacted communities will see a direct local benefit from hosting nationally beneficial infrastructure, rather than viewing it as an imposition.
The energy transition is underway, but local voices need to be listened to. Ignoring them risks derailing the energy transition as alienating communities will lead to increased backlash by opposition groups.
WHY IS COMMUNITY COMPENSATION IMPORTANT?
UK electricity demand is set to increase by 50% by 2036 compared to 2022 levels, and by over 200% in 2050.
New infrastructure is a need not a want. While community concerns about the impact of new infrastructure are understandable, we need to build more energy infrastructure to meet our growing energy demands. Community benefits can help to reconcile this problem. The sacrifice made by communities should be recognised by the government and developers. This is why CEN is campaigning for national infrastructure to deliver local benefits.
Ignoring community concerns and not engaging with communities risks creating widespread and organised backlash against new clean energy projects, which could risk derailing the energy transition. Community benefits can empower the communities hosting the new infrastructure that will power Britain. This can help to reduce potential backlash to new infrastructure as the impacted communities will see a direct local benefit from hosting nationally beneficial infrastructure, rather than viewing it as an imposition.
The energy transition is underway, but local voices need to be listened to. Ignoring them risks derailing the energy transition as alienating communities will lead to increased backlash by opposition groups.
WHAT DO
COMMUNITY BENEFITS ACTUALLY DO?
Community benefits are a cash payment paid by the developers and subsequent operators of the infrastructure that goes directly to the local community. The amount of cash given and how it is allocated can differ across projects.
Communities can either receive a yearly cash sum which is given to fund community projects, such as a new playground, or the fund can be used to give households within the community money off their energy bills.
82% of people recently surveyed agree that impacted communities should directly benefit from the infrastructure.
WHY SHOULD LOCAL AUTHORITIES RECEIVE THE BUSINESS RATES ASSOCIATED WITH NEW ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE?
Council budgets are being squeezed, with many councils facing significant financial pressures.
Receiving 100% of the new business rate income from the energy infrastructure projects they approve can go some way to help ease these financial pressures. This ensures the infrastructure powering Britain can empower, rather than alienate, the communities hosting them. This is also likely to increase local authority support for projects as they will see direct benefits from hosting the infrastructure.