Another U-turn on planning policy as government bends to wind rebels’ will
The government has bowed to pressure from its own backbench MPs and announced an end to the ban on onshore wind farms.
More than 50 Conservative MPs, including former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, had backed an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, tabled by former levelling up secretary Simon Clarke, calling for the end of the ban.
The de facto ban has been in place since 2015 when planning restrictions were introduced by David Cameron.
The government has bowed to pressure from its own backbench MPs and announced an end to the ban on onshore wind farms.
More than 50 Conservative MPs, including former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, had backed an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, tabled by former levelling up secretary Simon Clarke, calling for the end of the ban.
The de facto ban has been in place since 2015 when planning restrictions were introduced by David Cameron.
In a move that is being touted as a minor shift in the government’s stance, as opposed to a humiliating climbdown in the face of rising opposition, despite prime minister Rishi Sunak vowing to continue the ban during the leadership election earlier this year. Ministers will now consult on allowing turbines to be built if they have local support, and as long as concerns about their impact have been “satisfactorily addressed”.
It is the second planning policy U-turn in as many days by the government, which caved in to demands to scrap mandatory house buiding targets on Monday.
Under the wind plan, communities that back new turbines could get lower energy bills. Plans to make it easier to upgrade existing sites, many of which are more than 20 years old, will also be considered. Councils will also no longer have to predesignate the location of wind turbines in their local plans.
Clarke said he was “really pleased to see a sensible agreement reached… which will enable onshore wind to be delivered while enshring the vital principle of community consent”.
Sir John Hayes, the former energy minister and opponent of wind farms, said he welcomed the compromise. “It leaves local authorities in power to reject wind turbines. For those people who want them, their local authorities can go ahead, and those who don’t want them will be entirely entitled to stop them.”
The compromise means that the Levelling Up and Regeneration could, potentially, continue its progress through parliament as early as Monday.
