This briefing “Planning for onshore wind” by The House of Commons Library focuses on onshore wind planning in UK. All onshore wind turbines, except for small-scale domestic turbines, require planning permission from the local planning authority (LPA) in England. In September 2023, the government updated national planning policy to provide that LPAs should approve planning applications for an onshore wind farm if:
• It is an area identified as suitable in the local development plan or a supplementary planning document.
• The planning impacts identified by the affected local community have been appropriately addressed and the proposal has community support.
The government updated policies to allow locations suitable for new wind farms to be identified in a number of ways (rather than only in the area’s development plan). The government also updated policies for replacing existing wind turbines, which are no longer subject to the same requirements as new turbines. In England, decisions on all onshore wind developments are made by LPAs. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the size of a project determines which body decides an application for an onshore wind development.
Access the complete brief here
