Renfrewshire Council has warned that giving local authorities greater control over renewable energy developments could place additional strain on already stretched planning services.
The issue was raised at the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board on Tuesday 17th March 2026, as councillors considered a Scottish Government consultation on increasing the threshold for applications under the Electricity Act.
The proposed changes could see more decisions on electricity generation projects, such as wind farms, solar arrays and battery storage systems, determined at local authority level instead of by Scottish Ministers.
However, officers made clear that a one-size-fits-all approach would not work.
David Love, Renfrewshire Council’s Democratic Services Manager and Election Office Manager, said: “It might be difficult to achieve one single threshold when you have different technologies. You have batteries, storage, solar panels and wind farms all being taken account of within the one threshold.”
The council’s formal response to the consultation also highlights that different types of energy developments can vary significantly in terms of land use, environmental impact and scale, meaning separate thresholds may be required.
Convener Cllr Jim Paterson told members that while increased local control would be welcome, it would bring challenges.
He said: “The positive thing is that it’s given us more of a say, because the types of infrastructure—battery storage, solar panels and so on—will become more and more prevalent as we move forward.”
However, he warned: “With increased responsibility, there is an increased demand on resources. How we manage those applications will probably be a challenge for us.”
The council report also notes concerns around resourcing, including the need for specialist expertise and the potential for increased reliance on external consultants when assessing complex energy projects.
Despite the concerns, Renfrewshire Council said it sees clear benefits in having greater control over decisions, including the ability to apply local knowledge and set appropriate conditions for developments.
The board agreed the recommendations, with the council set to submit its response to the Scottish Government consultation before the 27th March deadline.