Regen's response argues that energy bill discounts for people living within 500 metres of new electricity transmission infrastructure is unequitable and risks increasing conflict, causing delays and failing to deliver value for billpayers’ money.
Regen's response argues that energy bill discounts for people living within 500 metres of new electricity transmission infrastructure is unequitable and risks increasing conflict, causing delays and failing to deliver value for billpayers’ money.
Together with ACCESS and the University of Exeter, our response challenges the use of a fixed distance threshold to determine who receives support. We argue that this approach is unfair, risks increasing community conflict and could delay the roll-out of vital grid infrastructure.
Instead, we recommend that energy bill discounts form just one element of a broader package of community benefits, shaped through meaningful dialogue with local people. Visual impact and proximity should inform these conversations, but not be the sole basis for eligibility.
This joint response, led by Regen’s planning lead, Rebecca Windemer, and ACCESS director Professor Patrick Devine-Wright, draws on research and lessons from international case studies, including Irish grid operator EirGrid's pilot community fund.
Professor Devine-Wright said: “Given the complexity of environmental challenges, it is vital that policy on planning and infrastructure is informed by robust evidence. We know from peer-reviewed social science research that applying ‘objective’ distance thresholds can have unintended negative consequences, even if they may initially appear to be fair. Instead, include distance thresholds within discussions with impacted communities. That’s more likely to produce positive outcomes considered fair by all.
“Even well-intentioned policies can backfire if they don’t reflect lived experience. Including communities in the conversation is more likely to deliver fair, lasting outcomes.”
Advancing Capacity for Climate and Social Science (ACCESS) is a five-year UKRI-funded programme bringing together academic and stakeholder partners to ensure environmental policy is grounded in robust evidence and social insight.
Rebecca Windemer is a fellow of the ACCESS Leadership College – a cohort of 20 emerging leaders working in environmental social science.
She said: “Communities should be at the heart of decisions about new energy infrastructure. Rather than applying one-size-fits-all rules, it’s vital to engage directly with each community to understand their specific needs and priorities. Community benefit schemes must be shaped through meaningful dialogue so that support is fair, locally appropriate and helps to build trust in the energy transition.”
For more on our work in this area, click here.
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