Community Benefit refers to a voluntary goodwill contribution made by developers to support communities affected by developments that have a long-term environmental impact. It is not a compensation payment and is not mandatory. There is no legal requirement for developers to offer such donations, and planning permission cannot be conditioned on them.
We established a Community Benefit policy to help communities maximize the benefits from renewable energy developments. Participation in this policy is entirely voluntary for communities.
Contribution Guidelines
- Developers are encouraged to contribute £5,000 per installed MW, indexed to the Retail Price Index (RPI) with 2011 as the baseline year.
Fund Distribution
All Community Benefit funds go directly to communities through Trust Funds. Highland Council does not receive any portion of these funds.
Allocation Breakdown
- First £100,000/year goes to Local Community via Local Fund
- 55% of remainder goes to Local Community via Local Fund
- 30% of remainder goes to Area Communities via Area Fund
- 15% of remainder goes to Highland Communities via Highland Trust Fund