Planning for sustainable energy

Making the transformation to a secure, economically viable, low carbon future for the UK will require every community and locality to contribute effectively to these goals, taking account of its natural and human resources. 

Meeting this challenge will therefore require a significant shift in:

• the conception which communities and local authorities have of their role in national efforts to curb carbon emissions and to deliver secure, affordable energy services;
• the role played by communities and local authorities in the planning process, and;
• the way in which communities participate in the benefits of sustainable energy development in their locality.

That’s why a major component of CSE’s work is providing analytical tools, technical evidence, training, advice and expert support to communities, local authorities and regional bodies to build their capacity to make this shift.

Homes with solar panels and green roofs in Maidenhead

We are also helping central Government understand how it can best align its efforts and those of regional and local authorities to create genuinely effective policy interventions.

PlanLoCaL is a significant and ongoing CSE project that aims to empower communities to use the planning system to create their own low-carbon future. See www.planlocal.org.uk

See also www.planningrenewables.org.uk, a website developed by CSE for DECC and CLG to support local authorities deal with the increase in planning applications from renewable energy developers