Committee Discusses Social Value Charter Aimed To Ensure Communities Get Fair Share

30th May 2025

At a meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, (Thursday 29 May 2025), members gave their support to the progress being made in taking a Social Value Charter forward that aims to maximises economic benefits from the natural environment and resources and ensure communities receive tangible benefits from renewable energy developments.

Members agreed that representations continue to be made to both the Scottish and UK Governments on the need of mandatory benefit and that the Council continues to engage with renewable developers to sign up to the Charter.

The aims of the Charter are to:

embed an approach to community wealth building into Highland;
maximise economic benefits from our natural environment and resources;
engage and involve relevant stakeholders to understand how we can continually improve our impact; and
unlock economic opportunities for area

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: "The Social Value Charter is separate to any planning process. It aims to ensure that if developments get the go ahead there is a clear community benefit.

Currently once they have planning permission, developers are not obliged to follow through on providing community benefit. This has to change. The report we discussed today takes us a step forward and reinforces the need for meaningful engagement with developers Scottish Renewables to continues.

“Given the scale of the on-shore and off shore energy pipeline being anticipated in the Highlands and the concerns of communities about potential impacts of these plans, it is important that public and private sector partners work together, so our communities can benefit for years to come."