Onshore Electricity Generation: Consultation on increasing the threshold for applications under The Electricity Act – Partial Business And Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA)
This Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) estimates the costs, benefits and risks linked to increasing the 50MW threshold which determines whether applications for onshore electricity generating stations are decided by Scottish Ministers or by the relevant planning authority.
Section 5: Next steps and implementation
Recommendations / preferred options
It is recommended that Scottish Ministers should consult on increasing the 50MW threshold to 100MW or 150MW across all technology types. This change has potential to support greater local decision making and reduce duplication in our dual consenting regimes, whilst ensuring the largest scale applications continue to be considered at the national level.
Implementation considerations / plan
Scottish Ministers can make changes to the type, characteristics and capacity of electricity generating stations which require consent under S36 of the Electricity Act by an order which must be laid before the Scottish Parliament.
Post implementation review
The implementation of any change to the 50MW threshold would be subject to review as planning application statistics are published.