Debate Pack: Future of coal-fired power station sites

This debate is concerned with the redevelopment and re-use of coal fired power stations sites in the UK.

Unless carbon capture and storage becomes economical and can work at scale, electricity will no longer be generated in coal fired power stations in the UK. Domestic policy aims to deliver low carbon generation and no new coal-fireD power station can be built without carbon capture and storage. European environmental standards also restrict the amount of coal that can be burnt. In November 2015, the Government announced plans to close all coal-fired power stations by 2025 and restrict their use by 2023.

One option for coal-fired power station sites might be to reuse any existing grid connection and other infrastructure (road or rail access etc) to develop another generation site. There are examples where coal sites have been redeveloped to gas power stations.

Any redevelopment of a power station site will need to be in conformity with the Government’s planning policies in the National Planning Policy Framework and its accompanying Planning Practice Guidance. In the Housing and Planning Bill 2015-16, which is currently in the House of Lords, there are clauses which are designed to make it easier to identify and build on brownfield land for the purpose of housing. For more information see the House of Commons Library Briefing paper, Housing and Planning Bill.

Regeneration and redevelopment can to be tied in with the work of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). LEPs aim to create economic growth, rather than directly fund building and redevelopment. More information is set out in the House of Commons Library Briefing note, Regional Development Policy 2010 – 2015: a Summary.

Examples of plans to redevelop some sites are contained in the press material later in this Debate Pack