Clean energy has the power to improve the lives of local people and attract new investment to an area. Which is why local authorities play such a pivotal role in turning renewable energy ambitions into delivery.

However, challenges around planning policy are often cited as a key reason that plans stall. This report captures conversations with the Net Zero Living Programme participants, who describe the situation as “a landscape of chaos” and reveal a wide disparity in local planning policies on renewables, leading to uncertainty for planners and developers.

The report’s review of adopted local plans across England explains why this inconsistency is so persistent. Policies and the evidence underpinning them are outdated, creating uncertainty for decision-makers, communities and developers. Too often this is turning planning into a slow, case-by-case negotiation rather than a clear route to consent.

Looking ahead, the report identifies three levers that could quickly improve consistency and delivery. It advocates for clearer national guidance on what strong renewable energy policy looks like. It suggests easier routes and mechanisms for councils to update energy policies without waiting for a full plan review. And it encourages stronger national planning policy weight be given for renewables and storage, reflecting their contribution to reducing cost of living, improving energy security and supporting local growth.

Key findings

• 74% of local plans were adopted or updated over five years ago and 34% have not been updated in over a decade, leaving them misaligned with today’s technologies and national direction of travel.
• Only 10% of plans include a dedicated energy storage policy, and only one adopted plan explicitly referenced a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP), despite many councils now using LAEPs to guide strategic energy decisions.
• 97% of plans use restrictive phrases (for example “only supported if…”) which risks setting a negative default position and reducing confidence in local authority decision-making.

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