Medway Local Plan (Regulation 18, 2024)
13.1 Introduction
13.1.1 A key driver of the Local Plan is to support Medway's transition to net zero carbon by 2050. This is embedded in our One Medway Council Plan, and the Climate Change Action Plan.[168],[169] Energy use and supply are intrinsic to the Council's aims. Medway has an established strategic importance for energy infrastructure, particularly on the Hoo Peninsula. In the 20th Century, this was a key location for fossil fuel powered Power Stations. The sector is now transitioning away from carbon-based energy and seeking wider opportunities. This transition provides new opportunities for Medway's economy, and innovation in meeting energy needs for existing and new communities.
13.2 Energy supply
13.2.1 Section 19 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 places a legal duty on local planning authorities to ensure that development plans "include policies designed to secure that the development and use of land in the LPA's area contribute to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change".[170]
13.2.2 The Planning and Energy Act 2008 enables local planning authorities to set reasonable requirements for renewable energy, low carbon energy and energy efficiency.[171]
13.2.3 The government expects the planning system to support the transition to a low carbon future and to support renewable and low carbon energy and associated infrastructure. Local plans can help to increase the supply of renewable and low carbon energy and heat by identifying suitable areas for development.[172]
13.2.4 Neighbourhood plans enable communities to plan for community-led renewable energy developments, for example through a supporting community energy plan.[173]
13.2.5 Power generation, electricity distribution and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure in Medway are of national significance. This was originally founded on coal and oil, with large plants at Kingsnorth and Grain respectively.
13.2.6 Power stations located at Damhead Creek and the Isle of Grain have a combined installed capacity of over 3GW. This represents 38% of the total installed capacity for the South East region and 4% for the UK.[174] Damhead Creek has planning permission for a significant expansion in power generation.
13.2.7 The Grain LNG terminal is the largest in Europe and eighth largest in the world, with plans for further expansion.[175] The terminal has a vast regasification capacity and a ship reloading facility to help meet high export demand. Global LNG supplies are expected to increase substantially, making this a competitive fuel source for various purposes. LNG is considered a vital part of the energy mix, given the reduction of domestic gas production.[176]
13.2.8 Various pipelines and cables forming part of the national energy supply network also cross the Medway area, including the two-way electrical inter-connector (BritNed) linking Grain and the Netherlands, and the NeuConnect interconnector linking Grain to northern Germany. Aviation fuel is also imported, stored and distributed from the Isle of Grain.
13.2.9 However, the benefits to the local area have been limited; the construction workforce is drawn from around the world, while the operational workforce for each facility is small. There are opportunities for:
- The creation of a maintenance and support services cluster to the local energy sector, building on Medway's traditional manufacturing and support industries.
- Long-term research and development opportunities associated with carbon capture technology.
- The potential for heat networks.
- Local matching of skills development to the needs of the sector.
Policy S25: Energy Supply
Kingsnorth and the Isle of Grain are suitable locations for renewable and low carbon energy development. Proposals for such developments will be supported if the potential adverse impacts are or can be made acceptable, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts.
For proposals in other locations, the latest Landscape Character Assessment will inform an assessment of cumulative landscape and visual impacts.
Energy developments over 50 megawatts capacity are considered by the Secretary of State for Energy under the Planning Act 2008, and the local planning authority is a statutory consultee.
Low carbon hydrogen production will meet the relevant safety regulations and a national emissions standard.
Proposals will have regard to the latest regional, sub-regional and local strategies for economic development and skills, such as the Skills and Employability Plan for Medway or equivalent.
Community-led initiatives for renewable and low carbon energy through neighbourhood planning will be supported.
13.2.10 The energy supply policy is intended to increase the supply of renewable and low carbon energy and heat by identifying Kingsnorth and the Isle of Grain as suitable locations for renewable and low carbon energy development. It recognises that proposals for renewable and low carbon development may come forward in other locations.
13.3 Heat networks
13.3.1 Heat networks can help to decarbonise a local area's heating requirements, balance demands on the local power grid and provide a catalyst for regeneration.[177]
13.3.2 Heat networks deliver heat and cooling to buildings within a vicinity. Heat networks and their infrastructure generally consist of:
- one or more energy centres, where heat is generated or collected from a central source;
- insulated pipes connecting them to one or more buildings; and
- a heat exchanger that transfers heat from liquid in these pipes to a secondary network of pipes within the building.
13.3.3 More modern heat networks generally include a means to regulate and monitor the flow of heat into a building. The latest heat networks use lower temperatures to reduce pipe heat loss and are more suited to use heat from waste and renewable sources. The sources of heat can be swapped with lower carbon alternatives over time, with no or minimal need to reinstall network infrastructure. Large heat networks serving a mixture of residential, public and commercial buildings tend to be more efficient, with different heat demand profiles becoming more constant.[178]
13.3.4 The South2East Local Energy Strategy calls for the building and extension of heat networks to be encouraged, particularly in new developments. Medway Council commissioned an initial feasibility study to assess current and future energy demand and identify potential low carbon energy sources following engagement with stakeholders.
13.3.5 Medway Council secured match funding from the Heat Networks Delivery Unit (part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) to commission initial feasibility studies. These have considered locations across urban and rural Medway. Further work is underway to progress from the feasibility stage.
Policy T41: Heat Networks
Development proposals of 10 dwellings or more (including conversions) or 1,000 sqm or more will follow the heat network provision hierarchy, unless it can be demonstrated by the applicant, having regard to the type of development involved and its design, that this is not feasible or viable:
- Connect to an existing heat network.
- Construct a heat network served by a low carbon heat source.
- Collaborate with neighbouring development sites and/or existing heat sources to develop a shared heat network.
- Where heat networks are unviable, but there is potential for future heat networks, demonstrate how the design would allow for a connection to a future heat network.
Development proposals will have regard to further feasibility studies and the role of 'anchor loads', such as the Civic Centre and Strood Waterfront sites in Strood and other sites on the Hoo Peninsula.
13.3.6 National planning policy expects local plans to identify opportunities for development to draw its energy supply from decentralised energy supply systems. In addition, new development should comply with local requirements for decentralised energy supply, unless it can be demonstrated by the applicant, having regard to the type of development involved and its design, that this is not feasible or viable.[179]
13.3.7 Heat networks are often complex to deliver; they generally have high initial capital costs and long investment payback times. However, local authorities can help to provide certainty by initially connecting 'anchor loads' from public buildings that have a larger, more constant heat demand, such as hospitals and leisure centres.[180]
[168] Medway Council (2024). One Medway Council Plan 2024-28. Available at https://www.medway.gov.uk/downloads/file/8705/one_medway_council_plan [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[169] Medway Council (2022). Climate Change Action Plan. Available at https://www.medway.gov.uk/climatechangeplan [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[170] Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Available at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/5/section/19 [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[171] Planning and Energy Act 2008. Available at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/21/contents [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[172] Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (2023). National Planning Policy Framework. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a11af7e8f5ec000f1f8c46/NPPF_December_2023.pdf [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[173] Ibid
[174] Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (2023). Power Stations in the United Kingdom. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c128f690b545000d3e8395/DUKES_5.11.xlsx [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[175] National Grid. GrainLNG. Available at http://grainlng.com/ [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[176] Financial Times. UK turns to Russian project targeted by sanctions for gas supply https://www.ft.com/content/6fc45d4e-dfed-11e7-8f9f-de1c2175f5ce [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[177] The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2020). Heat Networks. Available at https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0632/ [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[178] Ibid
[179] Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (2023). National Planning Policy Framework. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a11af7e8f5ec000f1f8c46/NPPF_December_2023.pdf [Accessed 28 June 2024]
[180] The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2020). Heat Networks. Available at https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0632/ [Accessed 28 June 2024]
