Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many renewable energy applications in the Highlands and Islands region that were rejected by local authorities were subsequently given consent by the Energy Consents Unit, in each year since 2021.
The Energy Consents Unit(ECU)does not grant consent to renewable energy applications that were previously refused by local authorities.
The ECU administers applications made directly to the Scottish Ministers under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.
When a local authority refuses an application made under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, the applicant is able to make an appeal to the Scottish Ministers.
The appeal process is administered by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA), and the ECU has no role in this process.