Planning lawyers at Bond Dickinson, the national law firm with a major office in Bristol, have helped global renewable energy firm RES win development consent for a biomass power station in Northumberland.
The scheme is the first of its kind to be granted a development consent order by Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey.
It will use sustainably-sourced wood-based fuel to generate enough low-carbon electricity to power more than 170,000 h
omes a year and create hundreds of construction jobs as well as 50 permanent posts.
This scheme is the latest in a trio of development consent order successes by Bond Dickinson for three nationally significant infrastructure projects. The other two are Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm for RWE Npower and the East Northants Resource Management Facility for Augean.
Richard Guyatt and Vicki Redman, partners in the planning & infrastructure team at Bond Dickinson led the legal advice on the consent process on the RES scheme. Lawyers from the firm’s real estate and projects team were also involved.
Bond Dickinson partner Richard Guyatt, pictured, said: “The project was notable for the excellent community relations that RES has fostered, and the good working relationship it has with key regulatory authorities including Northumberland County Council, Natural England and the Environment Agency.
“It represents an excellent example of how the Planning Act 2008 process can work, when consultation and engagement are at the heart of the project from its inception.
“Bond Dickinson is very pleased to have been part of the project team and it cements our reputation as a leading provider of advice on major infrastructure projects.”
