The UK's ambitious clean energy targets for Great Britain to be supplied with clean power by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by 2050 are driving the transformation of the grid network. As the government pushes forward with its grid reform programme, landowners across Britain are at the centre of this transition.
Delivering New Infrastructure
Across the UK, the need for economic growth, grid reform and the transition to clean energy infrastructure are driving significant changes, creating both challenges and opportunities for landowners. The government's commitment to streamlining the planning and approval processes, through initiatives such as the Planning & Infrastructure Bill[1] and Scotland’s Electricity Infrastructure Consenting in Scotland[2] paper, aims to speed up the delivery of critical infrastructure projects.
Network operators are accelerating the upgrade of their existing networks and building new infrastructure. At transmission level, the Great Grid Upgrade underway by National Grid comprises 17 major infrastructure projects intended to connect clean energy from where it’s generated to where it’s needed. As a result, demand for land suitable for energy infrastructure is rising, not only for generation sites but also for the essential grid infrastructure and corridors needed to distribute electricity to areas of growing demand. This could mean more approaches for wayleaves and easements, as well as potential land acquisition and compulsory purchase negotiations. However, it also presents opportunities for proactive landowners to engage early in the process and potentially benefit from this infrastructure expansion.
Move Towards Strategic Energy Planning
The UK, Scottish and Welsh governments are implementing a more structured approach to energy infrastructure development through the development of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP)[3], which will help to plan the future of the energy system for the UK. The National Electricity System Operator (NESO) has been commissioned to prepare the plan, which will focus initially on electricity generation and storage, including hydrogen. It will present options for how the energy system could look in the future and will provide guidance on energy development priorities in specific geographical areas.
Alongside this, NESO has produced the Clean Power 2030 advice note[4] for the UK government, setting out what needs to be done to support and accelerate the delivery of the new infrastructure required, and in turn the Clean Power Action Plan[5] was produced, which sets out the pathway to a clean power system by 2030. These will inform the methodology and development of the SSEP.
The UK's clean energy transformation will present numerous opportunities and challenges for landowners, including:
Infrastructure Development:
- New and improved grid infrastructure
- Approaches from network operators and energy developers for land access
- More opportunities for landowners to connect and operate their own energy projects
Challenges:
- More grid and energy infrastructure impacting land use
- Greater burdens on energy developers to commit financially and secure project rights
- In the short term, market uncertainty on energy project delivery across the regions
Adding Value:
- Grid upgrades and new grid infrastructure will create new development opportunities
- Potential for revenue through hosting infrastructure or new energy projects
- Increased land value for strategically located land holdings
Looking Ahead
For landowners, grid reform represents a significant shift in the clean energy transition. Seek professional advice to understand how these reforms might affect your land holdings and what opportunities they might present. Informed landowners who engage early will be best positioned to benefit from these changes while managing potential impacts on their land.
[1] Planning Reform Working Paper: Streamlining Infrastructure Planning, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-reform-working-paper-streamlining-infrastructure-planning/planning-reform-working-paper-streamlining-infrastructure-planning , January 2025
[2] Electricity Infrastructure Consenting in Scotland, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Electricity Infrastructure Consenting in Scotland: consultation document, October 2024
[3] Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, Strategic Spatial Energy Plan: commission to NESO, October 2024
[4] The National Electricity System Operator, Clean Power 2030, https://www.neso.energy/document/346651/download
[5] Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, December 2024, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-power-2030-action-plan
