Onshore wind farms ban to be eased following backbench Tory pressure | Climate News

The government is expected to relax an effective ban on new onshore wind farm projects amid pressure from Tory MPs.

The changes will likely mean new rules for winning planning permission, so instead of requiring complete agreement, projects will instead only have to demonstrate local support.

On Monday, Downing Street said the government position “has not changed” after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged last October to keep the de facto ban on onshore wind farms in place.

Sir Alok Sharma, president of the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in 2021, has led Tory backbench pressure over the issue.

He said he wanted a change to the current rules that allow a single objection to block a new onshore development.

It is understood the changes will be set out in a written ministerial statement today, agreed during passage of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, that will come into force with immediate effect.

A government source said: “We are very clear that onshore wind developments should have the consent of, and benefit, local communities.

“However, we want to see the sector thrive and believe that this is an important step forward.”

Sir Alok said MPs who have signed his amendment to the Energy Bill want to see a “much more permissive planning regime” on onshore wind.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We want to see the lifting of the current planning restriction, which means that a single objection to an onshore wind development can block it.

“And of course, allied with this, we want to ensure that local communities who are willing to take onshore wind developments will receive direct community benefits.”