Electricity chiefs accused of overlooking landowner and farmer land rights in race for Net Zero

Big electricity companies have been accused of overlooking how the rush for Net Zero development upgrades will impact farmers and landowners.

Energy bosses claim the UK needs to double its current grid infrastructure in the next five years to meet the 2030 targets set by governments.

Industry leaders said there was strong political will and huge support from renewable energy companies and developers for this major industrial shift ahead at the annual All Energy conference in Glasgow last month.

However, experts in the land sector in Scotland said it was concerning how there was “no mention” among industry leaders about how landowners and farmers will be affected by the massive step-up in infrastructure, which will ultimately take place on their land.

Rural experts have predicted a rush in grid-related development applications in the coming months. This is due to National Energy System Operator (NESO), a public entity formed in late 2024 to oversee the UK's electricity and gas grids, reforming the grid connection process to speed up approvals and clear a staggering 700GW backlog of renewable projects.

For this reform, however, NESO had to halt all new applications to “gate-check” projects—ensuring land rights are secured, plans are advanced, and the need for development is fully justified.

That pause is ending this autumn, with rural experts warning developers are scrambling to get ready which brings a renewed pressure for landowners and farmers to sign agreements.

Ian Austin, a director at rural surveyor firm Davidson and Robertson, said, overall, there appears to be “a lack of appreciation” from some of the key decision makersover how the transition to clean power will affect people who own and work off the land.

Ian Austin, Davidson and Robertson director, and head of Utilities Energy and Infrastructure | Davidson and Robertson

He said: “The reality is that, right across the UK, more landowners than ever before will be faced with approved infrastructure projects on their land.”

Mr Austin highlighted the long-term implications infrastructure like pylons, underground cables, and substations can have in terms of finance, the environment and how they operate.

SSEN dismissed the claims, saying the company is aware of landowner concerns and has been actively engaging with landowners, making them fully aware of required land rights for the projects that they are proposing.

Nevertheless, in the expected rush for applications in the coming months as the grid opens to new developers, Mr Austin urged landowners to tread carefully, adding: “Don’t sign anything until you fully understand your rights and options. Professional agents with deep sector experience are critical, and in most cases, your legal and advisory fees will be covered.”

A battery energy storage system (BESS) site.

Mr Austin also warned the review in grid applications resulted in landowners seeing large-scale projects being dropped by some developers, including lithium iron battery applications. This was due to an oversupply of lithium-iron batteries needed to meet the 2030 Clean Energy Plan.

SSEN said it has consulted “extensively” with the farming community in the development of its overhead lines, including NFU Scotland.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We recognise landowners and occupiers as essential stakeholders in the development and operation of our projects and infrastructure - and engage with them through our dedicated team of land managers to ensure mutual understanding of needs.

"Landowners have been a key stakeholder from the outset of the consultation process for our Pathway to 2030 projects, which has been ongoing since 2022.

"Our projects have been developed wherever possible to minimise effects on landowners, communities and the environment, and we will continue to work with farmers and landowners to minimise the potential for any disruption to agricultural operations from the proposed installation of our overhead lines."

SSEN recently had plans to upgrade the overhead line between Skye and Fort Augustus approved by the Scottish Government | SSEN

The company has committed £22 billion to new transmission infrastructure in Scotland alone. Tom Hughes of the National Infrastructure & Service Transformation Authority estimates another £37–£50 billion will be required for distribution upgrades—lower-voltage pole lines that reach far more landowners and affect rural areas more directly.

A UK government spokesperson said the overhaul of the energy system was needed to reach a 2030 target and to “protect family and national finances with energy security, through clean homegrown power we control.”

The spokesperson added: “These are subject to a rigorous planning process, in which the views and interests of the local community are considered. We have set out plans for households within 500 metres of new or significantly upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure to get up to £2,500 off their electricity bills over 10 years."

The increased pressure on land comes at a time when farmers are already under strain from a recent recommendation from the Climate Change Committee to reduce livestock numbers by 26 per cent by 2040 —particularly cattle and sheep—as part of its agricultural emissions strategy to meet the UK’s future climate targets.

CCC recommended herds be reduced in UK meanwhile farming unions have reported seeing increase in cheap meat products coming in from other countries | Katharine Hay

The NFU Scotland said the recommendation was “deeply concerning”, saying Scottish agriculture is already among the most climate-efficient in the world with many farmers already adopting new technologies, renewable energy and nature-friendly practices.

“With the right backing, we can go further but that journey must be fair, practical and properly supported,” the union’s president, Andrew Connon, said.

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union this week warned cheap chicken and beef from Australia, Poland and Uruguay is on the rise on UK supermarket shelves.

The union regularly monitors supermarket shelves and in the last few weeks, surveyors found Morrisons is now selling raw chicken from Poland in its poultry aisle. Polish chicken is typically produced to lower animal welfare standards than those required in the UK, and is cheaper as a result. For example, Morrisons stipulates that UK-sourced poultry must be kept at a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m², allowing birds more space. In contrast, Polish regulations permit densities up to 39kg/m².

Morrisons has also begun selling sirloin steak from Australia, a move the NFU attributes to the controversial trade deal brokered by Liz Truss during her time in government. Like Polish chicken, Australian beef is generally produced to lower environmental and welfare standards than British meat. Feedlots are commonly used, and according to the RSPCA, Australia ranks D for farm animal welfare, compared to a B rating for the UK.