Question reference: S6W-04581
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 23 November 2021
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Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reform the planning process to deliver at least 12GW of additional onshore wind and 11GW of offshore wind by 2030, as recommended in the Scottish Renewables publication, Beyond COP26: Next steps for Scotland’s clean energy revolution.
Answer
The draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November, sets out how our approach to planning and development will achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045.
The draft NPF4 proposes a new policy which will ensure significant weight be given to the Global Climate Emergency in planning decisions. It also includes green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. Through the draft NPF4, we are also proposing to designate a national development which would establish the need for a large increase in renewable energy generation and substantial reinforcement and expansion of grid infrastructure throughout Scotland.