Future Oxfordshire Partnership response to recommendations of the Partnership Scrutiny Panel made on

18 January 2023

 

The Future Oxfordshire Partnership is requested to provide a response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Panel for decision at its meeting on 18 January 2023.

 

Recommendation

Comment

Environment Advisory Group notes

The Scrutiny Panel was pleased to note that the Environment Advisory Group had begun to examine the issues around the provision of solar farms. It was agreed to recommend to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership that: 

 

  1. The Partnership write to HM Government asking that it strengthen the National Planning Policy Framework, (NPPF) so as to:

 

a)     Make the provision of solar panels a NPPF requirement in all new domestic or commercial developments unless there are strong technical reasons not to do so.

 

b)     Prioritise the use of existing space, (for instance through using warehouse roofing or the addition of canopies above car parks) for the provision of new solar panel installations over previously undeveloped land.

 

  1. Encourage Partnership members to submit individual responses to the current national consultation review of the NPPF concerning the provision of solar panels and other zero carbon energy technologies in domestic and commercial development.

 

 

FOP members support the use of solar panels and welcome the proposed paragraph 161 in the consultation draft NPPF which promotes the installation of solar panels on existing buildings.  FOP members also noted that this measure on its own would be unlikely to provide sufficient renewable electricity to meet demand, and further expressed concerns about the capacity to connect local power generation schemes into the National Grid.

 

Members expect that each partner will wish to make its own submission in response to the consultation, enabling specific local priorities to be addressed.