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Labour eases planning rules to boost solar and wind farm development

August 5, 2024

Labour is set to relax planning regulations, facilitating the construction of solar farms and onshore wind turbines to power hundreds of thousands of homes

Ed Miliband, the Energy Security and Net-Zero Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, aim to streamline the planning process and reduce associated costs.

The new regulations will double the threshold for onshore wind turbines and triple it for solar farms, enabling more projects to proceed through local planning processes. This change is expected to expedite approvals and cut expenses.

Since assuming office, Miliband has approved more solar power projects than were installed last year, despite opposition from rural MPs. These projects are anticipated to supply power to approximately 400,000 homes. Additionally, the government has lifted the ban on constructing new onshore wind turbines.

Currently, turbines and solar projects are deemed “nationally significant” if they generate more than 50MW of power, necessitating an enhanced planning process and ministerial approval. The government plans to increase these thresholds, reflecting technological advancements that allow for greater energy production.

Newer onshore wind turbines and solar technologies can now generate significantly more power. The current regime has led to projects being designed just under the 50MW threshold to avoid stringent planning requirements. The proposed changes will increase the threshold to 100MW for wind, powering around 120,000 homes, and to 150MW for solar, enough for 45,000 homes.

The rules, considered outdated since their introduction in 2008, have not kept pace with technological progress. The government argues that the changes are necessary and proportionate, enabling smaller projects to progress through the local planning system more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Labour views the early removal of the onshore wind ban as a decisive action, differentiating itself from the previous government by taking bold steps to stimulate growth through green technologies.

A government spokesperson stated: “In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect consumers from future energy shocks is by investing in cheap, homegrown clean energy. Reforming the planning system to align with technological advances is crucial. We are committed to involving communities in the development proposals for their local areas.”