Funding To Help Planners With Wind Applications

29th September 2012

A fund to help Planning Authorities deal with high numbers of applications for wind turbines has now opened for business.

The £300,000 funding will be available to help those planning authorities who have experienced a significant increase in the number of planning applications for wind turbines, putting pressure on their ability to meet statutory deadlines. Of the money, £280,000 will go directly to Planning Authorities, and £20,000 will be used by Scottish Government to monitor how the money has been used, find out the most effective approaches, and use this to provide advice to Planning Authorities facing unusually high volumes of planning applications in future.

In an approach agreed with COSLA and Heads of Planning Scotland, Planning Authorities can bid for a share of the money to help the demand for wind applications, either individually or in groups. Authorities must provide evidence that they are amongst those with the greatest need, and make clear how they propose to spend the money to help them determine planning applications for wind turbines. Bids must be received by 19 October.

The money is not expected to be split between all Scotland's planning authorities, but rather amongst those who are experiencing a significant increase in the number of planning applications.

Some authorities may choose to use the resources to enhance turnaround on specialist advice on, for example, noise or landscape impacts. Others may secure additional staff to deal with the applications more generally.

Planning Minister Derek Mackay said:"Scotland has massive green energy potential with one of the best resources in Europe. The industry is already delivering thousands of new jobs and securing billions of pounds of investment in our economy in communities across Scotland. We want to see Scotland and Scottish communities continue to benefit from that economic opportunity.

"We know that some Planning Authorities are experiencing particularly high volumes of applications for wind turbines, and the funding will help by bringing in expertise, or more staff, to deal with the applications.

"I have made clear that I do not think a moratorium on wind turbine applications is appropriate but would cause undue delay and uncertainty for everyone involved in applications. But I do recognise that some Planning Authorities are currently facing particularly high numbers of applications. This funding will help them deal with this."