Consent is required under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 to install or keep installed certain overhead electric lines. Land rights negotiations and section 37 applications can proceed in parallel. The Secretary of State would normally expect land rights to be in place before granting a section 37 consent, although as set out in the Guidance, in some circumstances he may consent ahead of this on condition that the work must not proceed until the relevant agreements with landowners and/or occupiers are in place.

As an open economy the UK welcomes foreign trade and investment where it supports growth, meets our regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security. The protection and security of the energy sector is a priority of this Government.

As well as the Electricity Act 1989, we have a range of effective measures in place which give the Government powers to balance an open investment environment to facilitate growth with protecting the parts of our economy that are the most sensitive to national security.

Under the Electricity Act 1989 all electricity meters used for billing must be of an approved design and be accurate. Those who charge anyone through submeters, such as landlords, in domestic properties ultimately have the same legal obligations as licensed energy suppliers.

In the event of a dispute over the accuracy of a meter, the law gives consumers the right to have their electricity meter independently checked and tested.

Under the Electricity Act 1989, if a relevant planning authority objects to a section 36 or 37 application within the relevant time periods, Scottish Ministers must cause a public inquiry to be held and the application will be passed to the Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Division to consider. A public inquiry is not required where Scottish Ministers propose to grant the application subject to modifications or conditions that will give effect to the planning authority’s objection. Where the planning authority has not objected but other parties have, Scottish Ministers will consider those objections together with all other material considerations and determine whether a public inquiry should be held.

The UK Government is committed to reforming the planning system to meet the needs of a modern economy and provide necessary economic growth. Whilst doing so, it remains committed to giving communities a role in engaging with proposals for developments in their local area.