Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears poised to relax longstanding restrictions on new onshore wind farms in England in an effort to quell dissatisfaction among members of his own Conservative party. The government is considering altering planning regulations to streamline the approval process for onshore wind projects. Last year, amidst pressure from certain Conservative MPs, an announcement was made that these rules would be eased by the end of April. However, with the limitations still intact, a renewed push by Conservative members has compelled the government to revisit its commitments.
A coalition of 25 Conservative MPs, spearheaded by the former COP26 president, Sir Alok Sharma, have been actively pushing for a change in the planning laws through an amendment to the forthcoming Energy Bill. In place since 2015 under the governance of then-Prime Minister David Cameron, the existing rules stipulate that a single objection can halt an onshore wind project in England. Sir Alok Sharma’s proposed changes would guarantee direct benefits to local communities willing to host wind turbines. The amendment also seeks to ensure that local verdicts on wind projects can't be reversed on appeal.
In contrast, Labour proposes that its own amendment to the Energy Bill would standardize planning procedures for onshore wind with those for other major infrastructural projects.
The House of Commons is set to review the government’s Energy Bill this Tuesday following its summer recess. Ahead of this, an unnamed government source indicated that a ministerial statement outlining shifts in onshore wind planning policy would be released. Earlier this year, consultations closed on possible alterations to planning rules, including the potential benefits to communities hosting wind farms. Although the government has yet to reveal its conclusions, the renewable energy industry criticized the preliminary plans for not being sufficiently ambitious.
In an official statement, the government expressed its support for onshore wind projects, emphasizing they were consulting on ways to provide local authorities more latitude in responding to community views on these developments. However, the exact methodology for gauging local support remains undetermined.
Pending Government Response Sir Alok Sharma told the BBC he and his supporters are eager to see how the government will address their suggestions. Sharma asserted that the current one-person veto system is neither representative nor efficient for planning and called for a direct benefit linkage for communities hosting wind farms.
Conservative MP Sir Simon Clarke, who backs Sharma's proposal, expressed optimism but noted that further negotiations are needed. Conversely, some Conservative MPs have resisted such projects, citing concerns about their impact on local landscapes and communities.This is the second instance where PM Sunak has felt the heat from his party on the issue. Despite initially expressing his intent to maintain the existing onshore wind farm ban, he switched positions last December amidst internal party pressure.
Onshore wind farms are key to the UK’s plan for energy decarbonization, reducing reliance on foreign fossil fuels, and lowering domestic energy bills. Although the UK has established itself as a global leader in offshore wind energy, onshore wind development has lagged, leading to criticisms from the Climate Change Committee.
Labour has described the Energy Bill as the inaugural major challenge for the newly appointed Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, Claire Coutinho. Ed Miliband, Labour's shadow energy and net zero secretary, questioned whether Coutinho would prioritize national interests over party affiliations by supporting the development of domestic, renewable energy.