Wind farm revolt ends in compromise

Residents have been promised lower energy bills if they consent to nearby wind farms, after a ban on turbines was relaxed in a deal with Tory rebels. Planning rules were changed last night to make it clear that a single local objection cannot block onshore wind turbines, as the prime minister moved to head off a Commons defeat. MPs led by Sir Alok Sharma, the former COP26 president, and including Liz Truss, forced the issue with an amendment to the Energy Bill, which went through its final Commons stages yesterday. Conservative rebels had wanted wind turbines on land treated like other renewable schemes. Ministers rejected this, with updated planning guidance retaining a presumption against wind farms unless they have local consent. A de facto ban was imposed by David Cameron in 2015 but Rishi Sunak promised changes last year under pressure from environmentalists and pro-growth Tories. However, wind turbines will remain harder to build than other projects, leading to accusations that Sunak had “bottled it” and predictions of only a few new sites. Levelling up secretary Michael Gove promised to set out details within weeks, with some schemes offering 10-50% discounts. The Times (£)The FT (£)The Guardian