Currently, projects in England that would generate more than 50 megawatts (MW) would be considered an NSIP and require development consent from the relevant Secretary of State to go ahead. Current consultations propose to reintroduce English onshore wind to the NSIP regime at a threshold of 100 MW and to increase the solar project threshold to 150 MW. The question is, will it make any difference, and if so to what type of project?
Solar
Developers are electing to ‘go big’, or go away from the NSIP process altogether. A recent report by RenewableUK, CPRE and the Aldersgate Group noted that the NSIP process is not seen as cost effective for projects that only just cross the 50MW threshold for designation as an NSIP. It therefore appears that the decision to increase the threshold to 150 MW could unlock a new class of solar project between 50MW and 150MW.
The NSIP regime provides greater certainty around timelines and likelihood of consent than the conventional local planning regime. Would the Government enjoy more success by applying its red-tape-busting objectives to the NSIP process itself, rather than turning projects over to the local political system? Only time will tell.