British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has bowed to pressure and will allow new onshore wind farms by promising to consult on how local communities can agree to new projects.
The Department of Upgrading, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said planning permission would be contingent on demonstrating local support and “appropriately” addressing any impacts identified by the community under the proposal. The UK government has pledged to ensure “robust environmental protection” remains in place.
Ministers will also seek advice on partnerships with “supportive” communities so those looking to host new developments can see some benefits – for example through lower energy bills.
subversion
The move amounts to a shift in the prime minister’s stance against building new turbines onshore, which he raised in his first unsuccessful bid for the Conservative leadership.
It was the second concession so far this week in the face of a massive revolt from Conservative MPs, with the government already lowering local homebuilding targets to avoid the first major Commons defeat during Mr Sunak’s tenure as prime minister. rebellion.
It comes after Conservative backbenchers opposed the existing de facto ban on new projects, joined by former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson.
Both former prime ministers have signed an amendment to a government upgrade bill introduced by Simon Clarke, who was a minister in their respective governments, to allow onshore wind energy.
Ms Truss moved to ease planning rules during her brief tenure as No. 10, but Mr Johnson has made no attempt to overturn a ban that has been in place since he took office in 2015.
strength
However, his energy security strategy does raise the prospect of lower energy bills or other benefits for a “limited number of supportive communities looking to build new onshore wind infrastructure” – something echoed in the government’s proposals.
Mr Clarke said he was “very pleased” to see a “sensible agreement” on the issue.
Calls are growing for an end to the ban on new onshore wind farms as Britain struggles to secure energy independence amid supply constraints caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed a Labor government will scrap planning bans as part of its plan to make Britain a clean energy superpower.
Shadow escalation secretary Lisa Nandy has accused Mr Sunak and her ministerial opponent Michael Gove of being “too weak” to resist the backbench insurgency, claiming they were “in office but not in power”.
democratically
She said the move was a “fabrication” that left a “very strict regime” in place for onshore wind.
Mike Childs from Friends of the Earth said the effective new development ban “should have been lifted a few years ago”.
In a statement, DLUHC said: “The government is committed to a technical consultation on how local authorities can demonstrate local support and respond to community input when considering onshore wind development in England.
“Decisions about onshore wind farms will continue to be made at the local level, as these are best made by local representatives who know the area best where they are located and who are democratically accountable to their local communities.
consult
“In order to deliver a more localized approach and its commitment to the UK Energy Security Strategy, the government will consult on proposed changes to national planning policy. This follows active engagement with MPs.
“Under these proposals, planning permission will depend on projects being able to demonstrate local support and appropriately address any impacts identified by local communities.
“Local authorities will also have to demonstrate their support for certain areas suitable for onshore wind, moving away from strict requirements for designated sites in local plans.”
Technical consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework will start before Christmas and conclude at the end of April 2023.
the author
Amy Gibbons is the Political Correspondent for the Palestinian Authority.
