Communities in West Lothian should benefit financially from solar farms and all other forms of new net zero energy, councillors have agreed.
The county has been a pioneer in community benefits from wind farm technology having dispensed millions in payments from energy suppliers occupying the county’s five wind farms.
Now those who live next to newer technologies such as solar farms could see community benefits as Holyrood looks to standardise the practice begun by wind farm owners.
For almost 20 years communities living close to the wind farms have received cash payments for projects on an annual basis.
Councillors agreed that West Lothian represents a model which could be replicated across Scotland as Holyrood looks to develop guidance on best practice in community benefit from net zero energy.
Councillors backed a response to a Scottish Government consultation from the council’s Community Wealth Building team which calls for all forms of net zero technology to bring community benefits to towns and villages nearby these included wind farms, solar farms, battery storage, Hydro power, hydrogen storage and other developing technologies.
Council officers are already in discussion with solar farm developers in the county in looking for ways to build community benefits into their long-term plans.
Clare Stewart, Community Wealth Building Manager, in a report the council Executive said: “Community benefits sit independently of the planning and consenting system and there is no mandatory requirement to provide them, although most developers do. As a result, the amount and way community benefits are distributed varies throughout Scotland.”
In West Lothian the approach has been where possible to concentrate the wind farm community benefits to within 10km of any development, 70% of funding within 5km and the remaining 30% within 10km. \
This has focused on communities and not on other boundaries like Community Council areas. Funds are distributed through the Community Development Trust to projects in the communities close to the wind farms.
The Trust is made up of council officials, local councillors, local community members and the energy developers and suppliers if they wish to take part.
Councillor Tom Conn had, in a previous meeting, asked about the potential community benefits from solar farms in the Linlithgow ward and the need for a standardised agreement on contributions to communities relevant to how they are affected.
Mrs Stewart stressed that such cases would be taken on a case-by-case level at the moment until Holyrood guidance on good practice is published. She said there are very few solar farms across the country on which to draw comparisons.
“We’ll continue to work to with the developers to get the maximum community benefits into our area. Rest assured that officers will also work to get to the best benefits into the community.”
Councillor Sally Pattle said: “We need more guidance. We have just approved the two solar farms in the Linlithgow ward. We are going to need to look to the future and how we can best get the community benefits from all these different types of renewable energies that are going to be a lot closer to people’s homes.”
Councillor Pauline Stafford said that to achieve net zero goals by 2050 it was important to bring people into the decision-making process and to give them a “sense of ownership.” that could come from increased community benefit.
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said more community benefit could also mean the planting of more woodlands and wildflower meadow. He suggested that any guidance should not be the usual light touch, but more robust in securing benefits for communities.”
West Lothian Development Trust has paid out almost £3m since it was first launched.
The fund supports the development of projects in communities within 10km of any windfarm development. Projects should meet one of the following priorities:-
- Relieve poverty, advance education or social purposes beneficial to an eligible community
- Promote and encourage environmental improvement or enhancement
- Secure investment, create employment, implement training, promote or secure sustainable development
- Provide or assist in the provision of renewable energy
The Trust administers six grant funds wind farms at Black Law, Pateshill, Tormywheel, Pearie Law, Harburnhead and Cowdenhead.
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
