Why public consent cannot be overlooked
The energy system is becoming more visible. From wind and solar farms to new transmission lines, substations and battery storage sites – projects are increasingly present in places people know and care about.
And once infrastructure is visible, delivery depends on more than engineering. It depends on whether people understand why change is happening, and whether they feel part of it. Without that, support becomes fragile, which can slow delivery. We are already seeing this emerge through increased pressure on host communities to understand the need for renewables and network buildout, and to engage meaningfully with developers wanting to build projects on their doorstep
At the same time, the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, alongside wider market reform and changes to grid connections, is bringing greater structure to where and how infrastructure is developed. As system planning becomes more explicit, it also becomes more locally tangible. Decisions that were once made in isolation will now be translated into clusters of development across the UK, with real impacts for the communities that live there. That makes them not only more visible, but more politically sensitive.
Honest, difficult conversations
When we set out what is changing, and why, it becomes much easier to have constructive conversations about local impacts.
We are already seeing what this looks like in practice. At a recent event with the Royal Town Planning Institute, we talked through the direction of travel of the energy transition to a group of planners. What stood out was that, when they were clear on the national need for change, it reframed the significance of individual applications landing in their area.
Our work earlier this year with Climate Outreach shows a similar pattern in the development sector. Where developers engage early and meaningfully with host communities – listening deeply, responding to concerns and adapting proposals accordingly – projects are more likely to gain planning consent.
Sitting on the committee of a community benefit fund, I have heard a neighbour reflect that she now “loves the wind farm”. What was once unfamiliar infrastructure has become part of the landscape of everyday life. Over time, familiarity builds acceptance, and sometimes even attachment.
When people understand the plan, when they feel properly engaged in decisions, and when infrastructure becomes part of lived experience, their response shifts.
Regen’s work on planning, community engagement and community capacity points to a clear conclusion: public understanding is not a nice to have when we deliver at speed and scale. Alongside planning reform, network investment and market design, community engagement is a fundamental enabler of delivery. If we want to build the energy system at the pace required, we must invest not only in physical infrastructure, but also in the understanding, trust and relationships that make that infrastructure possible.
Five requirements to maintain public confidence and accelerate delivery
1. Sustained national public engagement
People need clear, consistent and accessible information about why the energy system is changing, what those changes mean for them, and the benefits they will bring. Asking individual developers to explain the transition one project at a time is neither efficient nor effective. A shared national narrative would provide the foundation for more informed local conversations.
2. Meaningful community engagement
Communities need genuine opportunities to shape projects, not simply respond to them. Engagement should begin early, be transparent about trade-offs, and demonstrate how local feedback has influenced proposals. Trust is built when people can see that their views have made a difference.
3. Investment in community capacity
Communities are increasingly being asked to engage with complex infrastructure decisions, often without the time, expertise or resources to do so. Investment in trusted local organisations, community leadership and long-term capacity building will enable more inclusive and constructive participation, particularly in places experiencing the greatest change.
4. Better support for local decision makers
As strategic planning identifies where infrastructure is needed, planners and elected members will increasingly find themselves at the centre of difficult local conversations. They need clear national guidance, practical tools and confidence to assess projects consistently and make timely, evidence-based decisions.
5. Shared ownership of the energy transition
Regen’s work on shared ownership highlights the importance of moving beyond consultation towards deeper forms of participation, where communities have a meaningful stake in both decisions and outcomes. This includes exploring new approaches to ownership, benefit-sharing and long-term local value creation, alongside more inclusive models of engagement.
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