UK government set to ease planning restrictions on onshore wind

The UK's Conservative government has yielded to pressure from a powerful group of its own MPs to consult on onshore wind planning policy, potentially lifting the current de facto ban on the technology.

The UK has 14.24 GW of operational onshore wind capacity. The influential Climate Change Committee recommends the UK doubles this to 29 GW by the end of the decade. Over 20 GW of onshore wind projects are in development.

"Under the proposals, planning permission would be dependent on a project being able to demonstrate local support and satisfactorily address any impacts identified by the local community," the government's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said late Dec. 6.

Local authorities would have to demonstrate their support for certain areas as being suitable for onshore wind, moving away from rigid requirements for sites to be designated in local plans, it said.

The consultation, to be launched by Christmas and concluded by the end of April, would also look at how local partnerships could ensure communities benefit from hosting wind farms via lower energy bills.

The Conservative Environment Network, including former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, has been lobbying aggressively for a lifting of the ban after new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he would not abandon the Conservative Party's manifesto pledge to block the technology.

"I'm delighted the government will end the de facto block on new onshore wind in England, unlocking this cheap, clean power source where communities agree. This is an important step to strengthen our energy security and cut people's bills," CEN director Sam Hall said.

"It is vital that the plans, when finalized, ensure communities get a genuine say without making it impossible for new projects to be approved," he said.

UK ONSHORE WIND: STATE OF PLAY, DECEMBER 2022

Source: RenewableUK

Labour skepticism

Industry welcomed the move but the opposition Labour Party was less impressed.

"Rishi Sunak has been pushed into a partial change of heart but it is not nearly enough," said Labour's shadow business secretary Ed Miliband.

Developers' may still be denied the right of appeal, Miliband said, allowing councils to sit on applications even if communities were in favor.

"This will still leave onshore wind in a unique position in relation to planning, making it harder to build than incinerators or landfill sites," he told BBC Radio.

Polls consistently showed onshore wind is "hugely popular with local communities," industry group EnergyUK said.

"We urge the government to build on that support, and put in place a regulatory framework that ensures onshore wind projects vital to our energy security are not held back by regressive and outdated prohibitions," it said.

Vattenfall's Head of UK Onshore Development, Frank Elsworth, said communities had responded positively when they saw the investment, jobs and support for local businesses that projects brought.

"There does not need to be a one-size-fits-all approach to community engagement -- the most successful projects are those that enable communities to help shape the way the wind farm will benefit the surrounding area," Elsworth said.

Platts assessed the UK onshore wind renewable capture price at GBP295.88/MWh ($359/MWh) on Dec. 5. The assessment has been extremely volatile all year and is currently on an upswing, having fallen below GBP100/MWh during a mild, windy October, S&P Global Commodity Insights data showed.