Expertise in Delivering Net Zero Infrastructure

The UK and Ireland have a legal obligation to be ‘net zero’ by 2050. Delivering new and upgraded infrastructure quickly and effectively is critical.

We have been advising our clients on renewable energy generation, storage and industrial decarbonisation projects for over 40 years, and we are ideally placed to support the industry as the necessary scale of change continues to increase exponentially.

We bring a distinctive offer combining strategic thinking, innovation, rigour, specialists and collaboration.

Strategic Thinking

We take time to understand our client’s corporate objectives and drivers for their project, developing robust consenting strategies from the outset that are bespoke to specific objectives and challenges. Our advice is based upon significant experience of delivering the most challenging consents.

Innovation

Our collective experience allows us to bring innovative thinking to net zero projects, whilst working within the parameters of the relevant consenting regime.

Rigour

Net zero projects demand a rigorous approach to scheme design and technical assessment in order to achieve the necessary consent. Through our experience and Senior Leadership, we proactively identify opportunities and manage risk.

Specialists

We are committed to delivering professional excellence, seeking to influence the rapidly evolving policy context and setting the agenda.

Collaboration

Complex capital projects can take many years and require the strongest of relationships. We pride ourselves on being trusted advisors who you can rely on.

Working across the UK and Ireland and engaging with all relevant consenting regimes, including under the Town and Country Planning Act (UK), Planning Act (UK) and Planning and Development Act (Ireland), our projects have included:

One of the first onshore wind farms to be promoted since removal of the de-facto ban in England.
The first bio-ethanol production plant to be consented in the UK and Ireland.
One of the first floating offshore wind farm projects in the UK and Ireland.
Trailblazing projects associated with carbon capture and storage (CCS), including one of the first pilot projects for CCS at a conventional power station and one of the first projects to capture carbon emissions from an energy-from-waste facility.
An EU funded research project for hydrogen production.
The world’s first airport connected Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production facility.
A key Infrastructure project connecting energy parks to the national grid.

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Our expertise in delivering Net Zero Infrastructure

As independent advisors, we have an extensive track record in securing relevant consents for Net Zero Infrastructure projects of scale and significance across the UK and Ireland.

Our experience tells us that there are six interconnected services which lie at the core of successful infrastructure proposals

Planning: Effective consenting strategy with support from key technical disciplines.
EIA: Environmental leadership and full integration with design and permitting process.
Strategic Communications: Effective engagement with consultees, politicians and communities, together with shaping locally responsive community benefits.
Sustainability and Energy Security: Clearly articulating the benefits to the climate emergency and quantifying the greenhouse gas savings.
Heritage and Townscape: Appraisal of heritage and landscape context to inform project design evolution and to assess the potential impact of proposals on relevant receptors.
Economics: Provide robust economic and social evidence to articulate considerable positive economic and social benefits generated by a project, together with insight-led approach to community benefit which assesses socio-economic and demographic profiles.

We have found this approach, integrated at the core and blended with our other services when appropriate, as visualised below, to be successful and effective across all development sectors, regardless of how new or controversial the project.

Electric Arc Furnace, Port Talbot

There is a circular infographic on the right. At the centre, a dark-grey circle lists: Development Consent Orders, Planning applications, Compulsory acquisition, Section 36 applications, Marine planning applications, and Developments of National Significance. Surrounding this is a blue ring listing: Site identification, Application preparation, Stakeholder engagement, Legal process, and Consenting. An outer green ring shows: Landscape Design, Planning, EIA, Heritage, Sustainability, Economics, LVIA, and Social Value. There are three callout boxes on the left. The first is green and lists: Through our cross-service expertise, we actively access the pertinent knowledge from our disciplines to deliver tailored strategies for every project. The second is blue and lists: We support each stage of the lifecycle with a range of expert deliverables to positively progress developments towards consent. The third is grey and lists: Through our expertise in net zero projects, we can successfully secure a varied range of different consent types.

Different types of consent require bespoke approaches for success. As trusted advisors we proactively integrate relevant experience from across our service to navigate each stage of the development lifecycle, providing expert deliverables that secure consents for varied net zero projects.

Download our Net Zero Infrastructure brochure below showcasing a snapshot of our recent major project experience and a selection of case studies.

Expertise in Delivering Net Zero Infrastructure

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