27 Jan 2020 .

Scottish Renewables Board Election: Vote for Euan Hutchison – Principal Consultant at Natural Power

Vote for Euan Hutchison Large

2020 will see the roll-out of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 and publication of the new National Planning Framework (NPF4) which is arguably the most important piece of planning policy in a generation. Coming on the back of a global response to climate change, the new NPF provides an opportunity to establish a more positive way forward for our industry during the next ten years. Getting it wrong by lack of knowledge, effort and positive engagement would be a disaster for us all and is simply not an option.

Planning for renewables has been at the core of my professional life for the last 26 years. Having spent that period working in both the public and private sectors, I believe I am ideally placed to meet the challenges facing the renewable industry in Scotland at this crucial time. As a chartered planner who not only understands policy making but also its implementation on the ground, I provide an opportunity to complement the core competencies in the current Scottish Renewables Board.

During the last 10 years I have been a key contributor to the Scottish Renewables Planning Group and in doing so, have developed lasting professional relations with developers, consultants, lawyers and other experts in this field as well as civil servants and local authority representatives.

As a nation, we will not achieve these targets by looking inwardly, and as an industry, we need to forge new links with other professional bodies, other parts of central and local government and other commercial operators to make things happen.

Laying the foundations now for net-zero targets in 2045, means we need to turn around mindsets within local authorities and other areas of government to see renewables as a key part of the solution for tackling climate change, meeting targets and decarbonising our economy and particularly creating a sustainable future for our rural communities.

With 26 years of experience in dealing with renewables in the Scottish planning system, I can really help to make a difference – but need your vote!

The election is already underway, and a voting form will have been sent to your main Scottish Renewables contact within your organisation. If you are not sure who this is, please contact Gary Baird on 0141 353 4980 or gbaird@scottishrenewables.com

Please note that a completed form must be received by the deadline of noon on Friday 31 January.