New planning rules fail to reverse onshore wind ‘ban’

New government planning rules do almost nothing to reverse the de-facto ban on onshore wind power in England and are in direct conflict with the government’s push to decarbonise the grid by 2035, RenewableUK has warned.

In its response to the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which was published for consultation three days before Christmas, the renewable energy umbrella body has expressed deep concern that the changes to the guidance fail to unwind the existing regime that has effectively stymied onshore wind development in England.

Data, published by RenewableUK last month, shows that just two turbines were erected onshore in England during the whole of 2022.

Ex-chancellor of the exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng mooted a relaxation of onshore wind planning in his mini-Budget last September.

Then in December Michael Gove, the secretary of state for levelling up, promised in a written ministerial statement to relax overly rigid rules that onshore wind sites must be designated in councils’ local plans in order to head off a backbench rebellion on the issue.

However the redrafted NPPF continues to severely hinder investment in the onshore wind by maintaining a high-level of risk and uncertainty for the industry and its supply chain, says RenewableUK’s submission to Gove’s levelling up department.

The response adds that ministers have been, “at best, tentative” in their support for onshore wind and there is a “fundamental disconnect” between the government’s legal obligation to achieve net zero and the NPPF’s wording.

It adds: “If the government is serious about its commitment to net zero and security of supply ambitions, there must be a clear ambition for national deployment targets for onshore wind and a policy framework supportive in place. Without this, it is difficult to see how the proposals will enable any significant difference.

“Given that the presumption against onshore wind remains, the proposed changes to planning does not give the industry, communities, and business the confidence to invest in onshore wind again from a completely standing start.

“Onshore wind continues to be treated differently to any other infrastructure in England, at a time when it could be key to increasing energy security, reducing consumer bills, transitioning to net zero, providing multi-functional benefits to communities and the environment.”

The RenewableUK response says the NPPF still contains a requirement for sites to be in designated areas. It says only 11% of local authorities have had the time, resources or the inclination to identify areas as suitable of onshore wind development.

It urges the government to lift this measure, which was introduced in 2015 as part of a wider clampdown on onshore wind development, together with associated rules that enable local authorities to reject onshore wind schemes if they receive an objection from a single  individual

James Robottom, head of onshore wind at RenewableUK, said: “We’re bitterly disappointed that ministers are doing almost nothing to lift the draconian ban on onshore wind projects in England, even though it’s one of our cheapest sources of new power and every poll consistently shows that it has sky-high levels of public support, including among Conservative voters.

“As they stand, the proposed changes do not give the industry, communities or businesses the confidence to start investing in onshore wind in England again from a completely standing start. The fact is that there is no ambition for onshore wind in these proposals, which means that consumers are losing out on cheap electricity and communities are being denied opportunities for thousands of new jobs and billions in private investment.

“We’re urging the government to work with us to develop a level playing field so that we can compete fairly against other forms of power generation – the government’s proposals still prevent that, even though ministers have pledged to reverse the ban on onshore wind in England.”