Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many ground-mounted solar projects have been (1) permitted, and (2) built on grades 3a and 3b agricultural land since 2020; and what is the total acreage of those projects.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many ground-mounted solar projects have been (1) permitted and (2) built on grades 4 and 5 agricultural land since 2020; and what is the total acreage of those projects.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many ground-mounted solar projects have been (1) permitted, and (2) built on grades 1 and 2 agricultural land since 2020; and what is the total acreage of those projects.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of farmland is currently used by ground-mounted solar panels; and what estimate they have made of the percentage of farmland used by ground-mounted solar panels by 2050.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many acres of grade 1 and 2 agricultural land have been built on since 2020.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 27 June 2023 (HL Deb col 589) that they would “consult on standards for improving energy efficiency in the sector within six months of the [Social Housing (Regulation)] Bill receiving Royal Assent”, when they will publish that consultation.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is working to improve quality and standards in social housing. Last month the Government launched a consultation on Awaab’s law, which includes timescales for repair work in social housing. That consultation is available here Awaab’s Law: Consultation on timescales for repairs in the social rented sector. We will shortly launch a consultation on improving energy efficiency standards in social housing.
We are pleased that many social housing providers are working towards improving the energy efficiency of their homes, and we continue to support the improvement of energy efficiency in the sector through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
We want to see more social homes that are safer, more decent, with cheaper energy bills and more energy efficiency.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement on 2 March that Contracts for Difference will in future be open to onshore wind projects, what plans they have to review the planning regime for onshore wind projects in England.
Answered by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist - Opposition Whip (Lords)
Onshore wind has deployed successfully to date and is an important part of our energy mix. The Government currently has no plans to revisit national planning policy for onshore wind energy schemes. The National Planning Policy Framework confirms planning’s important role in tackling climate change and making the transition to a low carbon economy, setting out that plans should provide a positive strategy for energy supply from renewable sources. In the case of wind energy, national planning policy sets out that planning permission for new wind energy projects should only be granted if the development site is in an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in a local or neighbourhood plan and, following consultation, it can be demonstrated that the planning impacts identified by the affected local community have been fully addressed and the proposal has their backing.