Planning review fails to remove onshore wind blocks

Onshore wind developers will be extremely reluctant to consider any investment in England unless the government goes further on its commitment to ease planning rules for the sector, Energy UK (EUK) has warned.

In its response to the recently concluded consultation on updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), seen by Utility Week, the energy umbrella body says proposed changes to the document by the government do “not go far enough to provide the step change required to unlock the opportunities for onshore wind in England”.

In December, levelling up secretary Michael Gove said the government would consult on changing national planning policy to relax restrictions that critics say amount to a de facto ban on new onshore wind farms in England. They blame planning policy for the restriction of onshore wind development last year in England to just two small turbines.

However EUK’s response says that even after the revisions to the NPPF,  published before Christmas, onshore wind applications will still face a more restrictive planning policy framework than other types of development because it still contains an underlying presumption against the technology.

Subjecting applications for onshore wind energy to unique tests, set out in the draft NPPF, will hinder investment in England and limit the pipeline of projects, it adds.

“Considering that the UK has a legislated target to reach net zero by 2050 and we are in a climate emergency, we believe that there is a compelling case to remove these unique conditions for onshore shore wind developments.”

And the NPPF’s offer of alternate routes for communities to approve projects, such as via fast-track local and neighbourhood development orders, have been seldom used and lack precedent, the response says, adding: “These place a significant burden on developers to go through the process of pre-application without any indication from the local authorities of the likely success of the application, thus creating a significant risk on investment.”

It also calls for the removal of the requirement that new and repowered onshore wind should be located in sites identified by local planning authorities, which it says will allow them to impose restrictions on the size and location of wind farms and turbines, even where they already exist.

EUK’s critical stance on the NPPF changes echo widespread concerns, including from RenewableUK, that they do “almost nothing” to reverse the de facto ban on onshore wind power in England.