Our multidisciplinary team supports energy developers at every stage of the planning process. We provide site identification and feasibility studies through to planning applications, condition negotiations and expert witness services at appeals and inquiries.

"We understand the challenges developers face when bringing renewable energy projects forward," says Helen Kent, Director for Planning at LUC.

"Our in-house specialists have delivered successful outcomes for projects across the UK, ranging from small-scale solar installations to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects."

LUC's environmental specialists bring considerable experience across solar PV, energy storage and grid connection projects. Our services include Environmental Impact Assessment, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, heritage, ecology and ornithology, arboriculture, climate change, and GIS and visualisation.

Our multidisciplinary environmental and planning services deliver sustainable and innovative solutions for our clients.

During the exhibition, visitors can speak with the LUC team about:

• Site identification and appraisal using our proven GIS methodology
• Planning and project management for applications, amendments and appeals
• Environmental and landscape assessments
• Expert heritage services
• n  Visualisations and photomontage services

Attending will be planning and EIA experts Helen Kent and Sophie Nioche, visualisation specialist James Leonard, historic environment specialist Amy Farrington McCabe, and ecologist David Green, alongside other team members.

LUC has delivered successful planning outcomes for major solar and storage developers, including BayWa r.e. UK, RES UK & Ireland, Lightsource Renewable Energy and Hyperion LLP. As well as delivering greenfield solar sites, we’re also working with clients on heat networks incorporating energy storage in urban settings and have secured permission for rooftop solar in sensitive locations.

Our specialist teams recently supported BayWa r.e. UK through the Examination process for their DCO scale solar farm in Derbyshire, following their preparation of the EIA for the project. The scheme incorporates energy storage and will provide over 160MW of renewable solar power and an additional 37.5MW of energy storage capacity. We were delighted to see the scheme consented in June this year.

Last year, LUC achieved planning consent at committee for a 9.8MW solar farm outside Hirwaun in South Wales, on behalf of Regener8 Power. The solar farm will offset a total of 2,600 tonnes of carbon each year. We have continued to provide support to discharge planning conditions. Our planners also secured amendments and discharged planning conditions to enable the construction of two BESS schemes in Scotland for SMS Energy.

We recently provided multidisciplinary support for the submission of a 1GW battery energy storage system in Lincolnshire on behalf of NatPower, preparing and submitting the application and supporting Environmental Statement on time to conform with their grid connection requirements. We were also pleased to submit the planning application and supporting environmental information for a 250MW BESS to the north of Swansea for EDF, meeting another tight deadline linked to grid reform.

Solar & Storage Live UK is the UK's largest solar energy exhibition. The 2025 event features four specialist theatres covering residential, commercial & industrial, storage and utility-scale developments, plus training hubs, networking sessions and a start-ups zone.

The exhibition runs alongside EVCharge Live UK, giving attendees access to both renewable energy and electric vehicle charging sectors.

Visit LUC at Stand P60 from 23-25 September 2025 at the NEC Birmingham.

For more information about our renewable energy services, contact us at renewables@landuse.co.uk