Planning Conference 2025 Programme

Megan Amundson, Head of Onshore Wind & Consenting, Scottish Renewables

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (CP30) boldly states how much clean power generation, storage and transmission infrastructure we will need to achieve a green electricity system by 2030. It also sets out the spatial distribution of this technology across the UK. As we enter a new era of energy planning, we already see its impact on Scottish planning policy.

In this session, you’ll hear from leading industry experts on what the plan means for the renewable energy industry in Scotland.

You’ll learn:

• What CP30 means for onshore renewables in Scotland
• The expected impact of CP30 on the Scottish planning system
• The changes happening in planning policy and what they mean for your project
• How projects can successfully navigate these changes

Chair
Claire Mack, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables

Speakers
Catherine Williams, Deputy Director – Directorate for Energy and Climate Change, Scottish Government
Alison Hall, Director of Project Planning, SSEN Transmission

The commitments in the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal, the planned changes to the Electricity Act, the increased capacity of the Energy Consents Unit and the proposed Planning Hub are all intended to shorten consenting timelines.

These take time to establish and for their impacts to be felt. In this session, we take stock of progress so far, unpack its impact and examine what is coming in the future.

In this session you’ll learn:

• The changes afoot in the Energy Consents Unit and what they mean for projects
• About the proposed Planning Hub and how it will support accelerated timelines
• How local planning authorities' actions are interacting with the Scottish Government’s efforts to shorten timelines

Speakers
Neil Collar, Partner & Head of Planning Law, Brodies LLP
Finley Becks-Phelps, UK Development Director, Fred. Olsen Renewables
Suzie Saunders, Senior Policy Analyst, ScottishPower Renewables

Sponsored by Fred. Olsen Renewables

Two years after the adoption of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), the planning landscape continues to evolve in response to the challenge of delivering net-zero. Varying interpretations of NPF4 policies and emerging Local Development Plans create a volatile and contentious mix of challenges.

In this session, you’ll hear about the big changes to implementing NPF4 and how industry can use new tools to support their planning applications.

You’ll learn:

• About how industry is approaching NPF4 Policy 11c on Maximising Net Socio-Economic Benefit
• How Environmental Impact Assessment reports are being streamlined and what this means for your project
• How the standardised conditions for S36 and S37 applications are being applied

Speakers
Simon Cleary, Energy Transition Director, BiGGAR Economics
Carolyn Wilson, Onshore Head of Consents & Environment UK & Ireland, SSE Renewables

As the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan exerts its influence, the planning system must consent the next generation of projects. Hybrid sites, battery energy storage systems and hydrogen are all set to become increasingly common, but the planning system has little experience with them to date.

In this session, you’ll hear how the UK Government’s ambitious plans are impacting newer onshore technologies.

You’ll learn:

• About the opportunities for battery storage and hydrogen projects, and the planning challenges they face
• How the planning system is adapting to the rise of co-location on project sites
• How the demands of transmission reinforcement is impacting the planning system
• What this means for developers navigating their projects

Speakers
Steve Deslandes, Battery Development Manager, Boralex

Megan Amundson, Head of Onshore Wind & Consenting, Scottish Renewables