Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the new Government would lift the ban on on-shore wind developments, which has been in place for nearly a decade
Plans to nix the on-shore wind development ban have been well recieved by the energy and infrastructure sector.
Speaking at her first official engagement yesterday, Rachel Reeves announced a swathe of planning reforms intented to increase affordable housing and boost the econonomy. Part of these changes was the decision to life the on-shore wind ban, as well as setting a target to double the capacity of on-shore wind in the UK by 2030.
The Climate Change Committee previously advised the Government that the UK needs to install 35GW of onshore wind by 2035 as a key step to reaching net zero and ensuring energy independence.
The UK currently has 15GW of installed on-shore wind capacity, with over half located in Scotland.
Embracing renewables could bring down energy prices
Octopus Energy CEO Zoisa North-Bond said: “It’s fantastic to see Labour taking immediate action to unleash cheap, clean and secure power for Britain.
“Streamlining planning reform and fast-tracking shovel-ready renewables are key to boosting UK-wide investments in homegrown green power. We’ve had over 30,000 requests from local communities for our ‘Fan Club’ scheme – and with these reforms, we’ll be able to build onshore wind turbines quickly where people want them.
“As a next step, the Government should enable zonal pricing for energy. This would slash bills immediately across the country and unlock investment in new renewables where demand is high.”
Lifting the on-shore wind ban could provide a new income stream for landowners
Law firm Kingsley Napley head of the Landed Estate practice Charles Richardson said the lift of the onshore wind ban would be “music-to-the-ears of many landowners”.
He continued: “My clients tell me they want to invest in renewables projects to boost income streams from their land, to contribute to environmental targets, and to provide clean, cheaper and secure energy for local communities, however they’ve been hampered thus far from doing so.
“Planning and grid connections have been major barriers which Labour is now promising to unlock. I am sure we will see many embracing this opportunity in the near future. However landowners do need clarification on tax issues and will clearly need to consider any community opposition before they embark on big projects of this nature.”
