MediaResponding to Sir Keir Starmer’s speech to the GMB Congress Sam Richards, founder and campaign director of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said:
“The transition to a majority clean energy system could act as a huge wave of prosperity crashing over Britain, bringing with it tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs right across the country. But without urgent action our outdated planning system will act as a breakwater, holding back the torrent of well-paid jobs.
“It is because of our planning system that it can take up to 13 years for a new offshore wind farm to go from idea to generating power, despite construction only taking two to three years.
“It is because of our planning system that Hinkley Point C needed to submit over 1,000 documents, including an environmental impact assessment that stretched to 28,000 pages.
It is because of our planning system that in 2020 the environmental statement for the Sizewell C application ballooned to over 40,000 pages.
“And it is because of our planning system that new onshore wind, the cheapest source of energy available, is effectively banned in England.
“By building domestic clean energy sources, Britain can be a clean energy superpower and will reap the benefit of thousands of jobs across the country. But this will only be achieved by addressing our flawed planning system head-on.
“Our Powerbook report, which was launched by Ed Miliband just a few months ago, sets out a clear roadmap of how to achieve this.
“To be energy secure by 2030 we need to slash the time it takes for new offshore wind farm to be built to just five years, it will need to take just four and a half years to get new onshore wind turbines up and running and large solar farms will need to be up and running in just 15 months.”