‘Action this day’ – on cutting offshore wind planning red tape
Dr Kelly pictured with Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers and Liz Truss discussing the Energy Estuary in recent times.
THE Hull & Humber Chamber strongly endorses a study out today by the Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) group calling for urgent action to tackle the planning problems delaying even faster expansion of offshore wind.
In April, Boris Johnson’s British Energy Security Strategy announced plans to make the UK “the Saudi Arabia of wind power” with a four-fold expansion of offshore wind by 2030.
Whilst we accept the challenge of such an expansion is huge and we will need to install an estimated 3,200 new, and much larger wind turbines by 2030 the key is to rip up the red tape associated with Boris Johnson’s energy security strategy produced in April this year.
The new Prime Minister Liz Truss and Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, who met with Chamber leaders recently should:
- Cut planning consent times from four years to one.
- Streamline the Environmental Assessment process
- Cut red tape using the government’s Offshore Wind Acceleration Task Force
- Create a fast-track planning process for non-controversial projects
Hull & Humber Chamber Chief Executive, Dr Ian Kelly, called for “Action this Day” from the new Prime Minister and Business Secretary to push this vital agenda forwards by removing this unnecessary planning red tape at this vital time for UK energy security.
“We will certainly, as a Chamber, be taking this forward to all our Humber MPs in the coming days”.
