Consenting renewable energy in the North
Energy projects carry planning challenges most schemes never meet: environmental assessment, grid connections, landscape and visual effects, and — at the largest scale — the Development Consent Order process for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. It is specialist territory, and it is where Northern Planners has some of its deepest experience.
The case studies on this page include anaerobic digestion and biomass plants and a 95MW energy-from-waste NSIP on which we have worked since the project's inception — preparing EIA scoping and screening submissions and leading planning chapters within a multidisciplinary team. Whether you are a developer assembling a scheme or a landowner weighing up an approach, we can tell you early — and honestly — what the consenting route looks like.
GWE Biogas. Anaerobic Digestion plant
We have worked with GWE Biogas on various developments in recent years at their Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant near Driffield.
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North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park
We are providing planning consultancy support for this Development Consent Order (DCO) application, working with a range of experts as part of a multidisciplinary team. North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park is an innovative development of a 95MW energy from waste scheme including district heat and power connections north of Scunthorpe.
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Tansterne Biomass Plant
We have worked with GB-Bio on various developments in recent years at their biomass plant in East Yorkshire.
View ProjectEnergy planning — your questions answered
Do solar farms and energy plants need planning permission?
Yes — and the route depends on scale. Most schemes go through the local council as planning applications, while the largest projects are consented as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) through a Development Consent Order examined by the Planning Inspectorate. We have worked on both routes, including an NSIP from its inception.
What is EIA screening and will my project need it?
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening is the formal process for deciding whether a project needs a full environmental statement. Energy schemes above certain thresholds, or in sensitive locations, are screened by the council or the Inspectorate. We prepare screening requests and coordinate the environmental work where an assessment is required.
I'm a landowner approached by an energy developer. What should I do first?
Before signing anything, it's worth understanding the planning prospects of your land — what the development plan says, what constraints apply, and what the consenting route would be. That picture affects the value of any agreement. We provide independent planning appraisals for landowners in exactly this position.
How is the local community consulted on energy projects?
Consultation requirements scale with the project. NSIPs have statutory pre-application consultation duties; local applications rely on the council's notification processes, though developers often consult voluntarily. Done well, early engagement surfaces concerns while the design can still respond to them — we help clients plan and run that engagement.
Looking for help with a energy project? See our Planning services