The government has unveiled new measures that will support local areas in progressing onshore windfarms.
Planning policy is set to be changed, meaning onshore wind developments can be identified in a number of ways, instead of just through local plans. This will make it easier for communities to bring forward proposals for onshore wind, including through Local Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders.
It also confirmed that councils will now have to consider the views of the entire community, instead of a “small number of objectors” when planning applications are considered. This will include addressing the planning impact of onshore wind projects as identified by local communities.
Looking further ahead, those communities that back local wind farms may benefit from cheaper under too, as the government looks to incentivise more projects. Next steps on these proposals are to be outlined during the Autumn.
However, there is a consensus within the sector that the government could have gone further. Energy UK, for example, while welcoming news that the government is moving to remove planning barriers, stressed that it has still not put onshore wind in the position where it is treated in the same way as other infrastructure planning applications.
Energy UK’s Deputy Chief Executive, Dhara Vyas, said: “Without that, this will represent a missed opportunity as developers will remain reluctant about committing the time and expense of putting forward new onshore projects knowing they still face a higher risk of being blocked.”
This was echoed by RenewableUK, where Head of Onshore Wind, James Robottom, said the proposed changes do not go far enough.
Robottom explained: “We will still face a planning system stacked against onshore wind that treats it differently to every other energy source or infrastructure project. A lot will be open to interpretation and there are still hurdles to navigate which remain in place. There has been a slight softening at the edges but nothing more. As a result, we’re not going to see investment into new onshore wind at the scale needed to rapidly cut bills and boost energy security.”
