Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to consult local communities who will be most impacted by the mass construction of pylons used to support their clean energy by 2030 target.

In England and Wales, the Planning Act 2008 requires developers to demonstrate that they have consulted adequately with communities before they submit applications for consent. Developers are also required to show they have fairly considered alternatives to their proposals in their applications. In Scotland, the Scottish Government’s good practice guidance sets out the expectations and requirements for consultation.

The Government is committed to ensuring that communities who live near new clean energy infrastructure also benefit from it and are currently considering how to most effectively deliver this. This includes developing guidance on community benefits for electricity transmission network infrastructure, which we will publish in due course.