Welcome
Renewable Energy
3rd June
• It is important to remember that this is
only a Partial Review of selected
elements of the RSS – not a Full
Review.
• It is not proposed to undertake a
fundamental review of RSS.
• We will not be reconsidering the overall
strategy and vision that RSS seeks to
achieve; these are agreed and will remain
the backbone of RSS.
• The overall strategy and those
elements of the RSS not included in
the Partial Review are not subject to
revision and will continue to be in
place as a statutory part of the
development plan system.
Topics covered by the Review
• 3 key priorities:
– Housing (inc revision of district housing
numbers, housing market areas,
affordability)
– Renewable energy
– Waste
Topics covered by the Review
• Other issues:
– Gypsies & Travellers pitch provision by
District
– Travelling Showpeople pitch provision by
District
– Review of Regional Car Parking standards
Timetable
These Stages
Managed by
Assembly
These Stages
Managed by
GONW
Launch of RSS
November 2007
Preparation of Project Plan
October 2007 – April 2008
(consultation Feb \ March 2008)
Technical / Research studies
Spring 2007 - April 2008
Development of Options
April – May 2008
(targeted consultation June 2008)
Preparation of Draft RSS Policies
(including targeted engagement on interim Draft
Polices)
July 2008 – March 2009
(October – November 2008)
Approval & submission of Draft RSS to GONW
March - April 2009
Formal Public Consultation on Draft RSS
May – July 2009
Examination in Public process
Estimated August 2009 – January 2010
Panel Report Published
Estimated April 2010
Government’s Proposed Changes to RSS
Estimated April - August 2010
Final RSS issued by Government
Estimated December 2010
SEA / SA Process
• Combined
approach
covering:
– Sustainability Appraisal
– Strategic Environmental
Assessment
– Habitat Regulation
Assessment
– Health Impact
Assessment
– Equality Impact
Assessment
– Rural Proofing
• Integrated into one
process covering 5
stages
 Stage A: The production of an SA
Scoping Report
 Stage B: Developing and refining
options
 Stage C: Preparation of the SA \
SEA Report
 Stage D: Consultation on the
Revision and SA \ SEA Report,
led by GONW
 Stage E: monitoring and
responding to adverse effects
Engagement
• High level political engagement via NWRA Executive Board
and its successor organisation from July 2008
• Building upon best practice from previous reviews of RSS
(also RES)
• Primarily web based – though facility for those who cannot
access IT to be involved via hard copy, dedicated freephone
number etc
• Supplemented by workshops during June 2008 for options
stage
• Working with CAG Consultants to deliver this
• Specialist techniques being developed to work with Gypsy &
Traveller and Travelling Showpeople communities
• Use of other techniques to raise awareness
Beyond RSS - Towards a
Single Regional Strategy
•
•
•
•
Current Government Consultation on Sub-National Economic Development
and Regeneration (SNR)
Proposal to develop a Single Regional Strategy to replace RSS and RES with
a Single Regional Strategy (subject to primary legislation)
– Assembly already working with NWDA colleagues on initial work to
develop a Single Regional Strategy
– Work on Partial Review will form an input into Single Regional Strategy
and not be abortive
Proposed to give the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) the
responsibility for developing the Single Regional Strategy, working closely
with local authorities and other partners. The statutory functions of Regional
Assemblies with respect to the RSS would be transferred to the RDAs
(subject to primary legislation)
– Assembly already working with closely with NWDA colleagues on Partial
Review of RSS
Until these proposals are implemented the RSS responsibilities will stay with
the Assembly (and its post July 2008 successor body), which will continue
with bringing forward the Partial Review of RSS.
Any Questions?
Renewable Energy Options
Issues to be addressed – One
• Existing European legislation - Renewables Directive
• The Government’s Energy White Paper, Energy Bill and Climate
Change Bill
• The North West Sustainable Energy Strategy
• Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22)
• Targets based on a region’s assessment of its renewable
energy resource
• Criteria based policies relating to the identification of types of
location or technologies and the scale of development
• Locational considerations
• Draft RSS policy EM17
• The Assembly research
Issues to be addressed – Two
• Links with other policy areas being reviewed
in the Partial Review
• Links with other policy areas not covered in
the Partial Review.
• Links to cross cutting themes which are the
key spatial principles set out in the Panel
Report (i.e. policies DP1 to DP8)
• Links to other regional strategies.
What has been decided?
• The intention is to supplement policy which
may be through the introduction of a
diagram(s) that will set out broad locations for
various renewable energy technologies.
• It may be necessary to amend policy EM17 in
the Proposed Changes to RSS
• Any national, other regional or sub-regional
issues where decisions have been taken or
are expected soon that need to be flagged up
in the options consultation
The Options
The central theme to any of the options
that come forward is the need for a
policy approach that sets out broad
locations or areas for various
renewable energy technologies
including a diagrammatic
representation, where appropriate, of
the locations/areas selected
Policy considerations
• Region wide policies building on Policy
EM17;
• Sub-regional policies which could set out the
potential appropriate technologies by sub–
region and highlight specific matters that
would need to be considered within each subregion.
• The inclusion of broad areas where
appropriate for a particular renewable energy
technology.
The Options
• Development of an approach that
follows the ‘theoretical maximum’
assessment set out in the
accompanying evidence base.
• Development of an approach that
follows the ‘pragmatic’ assessment set
out in the accompanying evidence base.
Any Questions?
Next steps
Thank you