Durham Council should decide solar and wind farms, councillor says

The motion, submitted by Conservative Councillor Richard Bell ahead of next week’s Durham County Council meeting, condemns the government’s energy policy and calls for councils to have the final say over large-scale developments. 

Cllr Bell, ward member for Upper Teesdale, also criticised the government’s approach to net zero, arguing it has contributed to rising electricity costs and encouraged what it describes as “inappropriate” renewable energy developments in County Durham.

If approved, the council would write to the county’s MPs and the Secretary of State, urging changes to national planning and energy policy.

Cllr Bell’s motion states that while the authority supports “appropriate renewable energy”, it believes government policy has resulted in “amongst the most expensive electricity in the developed world” and an “incompetent drive to Net Zero”.

It argues that current policy has led to large-scale solar farm and wind farm applications that have “industrialised” greenfield sites across the county.

The motion also criticises arrangements under which some renewable energy operators are compensated when electricity cannot be transmitted because of constraints on the National Grid.

The motion reads: “Government energy policy has given us amongst the most expensive electricity in the developed world, and the incompetent drive to Net Zero has resulted in inappropriate large-scale solar farm and wind farm applications and developments in County Durham. 

“While Durham County Council supports appropriate renewable energy, this council deplores Labour’s wrong-headed and incompetent leadership in energy.”

Councillors are instead being asked to back four key demands to the government.

These include amending the National Planning Policy Framework so Durham County Council becomes the determining authority for solar farm and wind farm applications, rather than decisions being made by ministers in some nationally significant cases.

The motion further urges ministers to prioritise renewable energy developments on offshore wind projects, homes, commercial and industrial buildings, and brownfield land, while ending approvals for schemes on greenfield sites.