News
Should solar and battery storage schemes be built on England’s Green Belt?
4th August 2020
The demand for solar and battery storage sites in England has grown incredibly quickly over the past few years. As the number of available sites in the most obvious locations dwindle, developers are increasingly turning to sites located within one of England’s 14 Green Belts. While a Green Belt designation is clearly a significant constraint…
Read MoreGovernment to remove battery storage from NSIP regime
23rd July 2020
The UK Government has just announced that the caps on battery storage capacity for planning applications in England and Wales (50 MW and 350 MW respectively) will be removed. This means a battery storage proposal which exceeds these thresholds will no longer be considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (‘NSIP’), and all applications for battery…
Read MoreImplications of the recent appeal decision for applications to increase turbine tip heights using Section 42
16th July 2020
A recent appeal decision in Scotland has cast doubt on the ability to vary the approved height of wind turbines using the power to vary a planning permission under Section 42 of the Scottish Planning Act. The decision relates to a proposal to increase the approved tip height of turbines at Larbrax in Dumfries and…
Read MoreThe Scottish Parliament passes a Bill to provide the mountain hare with protected status
3rd July 2020
Recent studies suggest the mountain hare has been in notable decline since the 1950s. In a bid to halt this, the Scottish Parliament has now passed a Bill to provide this iconic upland species with protected status, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Mountain hares are often found within upland locations, and this change in…
Read MoreHigh Constellation Wind Farm and Forss AD Plant Consented
30th June 2020
On the 26th June 2020, the Scottish Government granted consent for High Constellation Wind Farm in Argyll & Bute. We are delighted to have supported the applicant, Blue Energy, through the pre-application and consenting process. The Section 36 project consists of 10 turbines, each with a tip height up to of 149.9 m, and an…
Read MoreCleve Hill Solar Park granted Development Consent, 28th May 2020
17th June 2020
Cleve Hill Solar Park, in Kent, was granted a Development Consent Order on 28th May 2020. Arcus was delighted to support the Cleve Hill developers, Wirsol and Hive Energy, through planning and DCO co-ordination, full EIA submission, landscape, ecology and flood risk assessments and continued project management throughout the examination phase. Co-developer Simon McCarthy, of…
Read MoreHeather Wylie wins the Professional Services Award at the Scottish Renewables Young Green Energy Awards
16th June 2020We’re delighted to announce Heather Wylie, an environmental consultant based in our Glasgow office, has won the Professional Services Award at this year’s Scottish Renewables Young Green Energy Awards. “Heather is such a diligent and hardworking member of the team. She is absolutely deserving of this award and a great asset to Arcus. We regularly…
Read MoreArcus makes two senior appointments to further strengthen its UK operation
4th June 2020We are pleased to welcome Marc Browne, an offshore wind specialist, and Tim Wheeler, a chartered town planner with 35 years’ experience, to Arcus. Marc has extensive experience in the renewable energy sector, in particular offshore wind, along with other sectors such as marine fish farming. He joins Arcus as Offshore Development Manager, based in…
Read MoreAn introduction to DEFRA Biodiversity Metrics
29th April 2020Environmental Consultant Katie Emmitt of Arcus Consultancy Services Limited and Surface Property will provide an introduction to the DEFRA Biodiversity Metrics, the methodology behind it before running through a worked example. Katie was born and raised in Leeds and has lived in Yorkshire all her life. She attended the University of York to study Environmental…
Read MoreSubmission of Battery Storage Extension Application for Gresham House
26th March 2020
Arcus was delighted to support Gresham House’s New Energy team with planning and environmental services in respect of an extension to the operational battery storage facility at Glassenbury in Kent which they recently acquired. The extension would not only increases the capacity of the storage facility but also the duration of export. Further information about…
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