Welsh Government Speeds Up Infrastructure Planning for Green Energy Boom

The Welsh Government is accelerating its planning system to enable a swift and efficient rollout of renewable energy projects, aiming to unlock the potential of the green energy sector and deliver on its ambitious decarbonisation targets.

Economy, Energy and Planning Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Evans announced the new measures today at the Future Energy Wales conference, highlighting the importance of streamlining the planning process to support the growth of renewable energy in Wales. Since her appointment in September, Evans has approved five major renewable energy projects, adding over 280 MW of renewable energy capacity – enough to power more than 180,000 Welsh homes.

Key changes to the planning system include:

Delegating decision-making powers to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) for renewable energy projects up to 50MW, aiming to cut the end-to-end decision time by at least 12 weeks.

Addressing the shortage of planners at both local and national levels through a comprehensive consultation later this month, designed to boost the capacity and resilience of planning services.

Boosting government planning resources to ensure swifter consideration of Developments of National Significance (DNS) applications.

"Planning makes a major contribution to green growth, and accelerating infrastructure planning decisions is one of the Welsh Government's top priorities," Evans said. "We need to make it as efficient as possible for all concerned."

She added, "We have already determined 10 DNS applications in 2024 compared to last year's previous high of 7, with this number likely to continue to rise. The further measures I'm announcing today will see the right decisions made more quickly and provide assurances that the planning system is there to support the opportunities that we know are ahead of us in terms of leading a green revolution, both at a UK level and internationally."

The Cabinet Secretary also highlighted the importance of ensuring a well-resourced and skilled workforce to support the planning system. "Ensuring that Wales has enough planners and related professionals, with the right skills in the right areas, is also fundamental to the delivery of Welsh Government policies," she said.

In addition to the planning reforms, the Welsh Government is also working with industry to develop a sector deal for renewable energy. This initiative aims to create a shared vision and action plan to support the delivery of renewable energy projects, removing barriers and improving outcomes for supply chains, skills, employment, and community benefits.

"Our next steps include working with industry to develop a sector deal for renewable energy," Evans said. "The aim will be for government, industry, and other stakeholders to articulate a shared vision and actions to support the delivery of renewable energy projects. We need actions to remove barriers and improve outcomes for supply chains, skills, employment and community benefits."

"The Welsh Government remains steadfast in our commitment to renewable energy," she added. "By working together with communities, developers, and stakeholders, we can and will achieve our renewable energy targets, boost our economy and support our shared ambition for clean power by 2030."

The Welsh Government's ambitious plans for the renewable energy sector are a significant step towards its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. With streamlined planning processes and a focus on workforce development, Wales is poised to become a leading player in the UK's green energy revolution.