Households living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power infrastructure in Great Britain could receive £250 a year off their energy bills, under government plans to speed up construction of electricity grid upgrades. The discount, totalling up to £2,500 over ten years, aims to prevent local backlash against new pylons and substations needed for the transition to renewable energy.
Energy companies have pledged to spend up to £77bn over five years to connect wind and solar power to homes and businesses. The government hopes the community benefits, including funds for facilities like sports pitches and youth centres, will ease opposition to the infrastructure build-out, which is critical to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030.
Housing and communities minister Alex Norris said: 'If you are making that sacrifice of having some of the infrastructure in your community, you should get some of the money back.' The discounts are expected to be in place from 2026.
Separately, the government is consulting on reducing the number of statutory bodies that advise on planning applications, such as Sport England and Theatres Trust, to speed up housing and energy projects. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said the planning system must be 'sensible and balanced' and not create 'unintended delays'.
