Decarbonising Energy Generation within the National Park

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority is gathering new evidence to inform the next Local Development Plan (LDP), which will shape how land is used and developed across the National Park in the years ahead. Central to this work is the need to significantly scale up action on the climate emergency and nature crisis, in line with the national direction set by Scotland’s Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4). To support this, the National Park Authority commissioned a study of renewable and low-carbon energy opportunities within the National Park. This study identifies suitable technologies, considers the landscape and ecological factors that influence their delivery, and helps ensure future development aligns with the National Park’s special qualities and statutory aims.

The findings will help to inform our planning decision-making and support the delivery of the National Park Partnership Plan 2024–2029, which sets an ambition for the area to become a net zero place by 2035. Drawing on national planning policy, including the strengthened climate and energy requirements of NPF4, the study reflects both the urgency of decarbonisation and the unique context of a protected landscape. It also builds on the National Park’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Assessment and Proposed Pathway to Net Zero, recognising that while land-use change offers the greatest potential for emissions reduction and sequestration, renewable energy generation has an important role in helping communities and businesses transition away from fossil fuels.