The Labour government’s decision to lift the effective ban on onshore wind farms has been met with delight from the UK business community, with city lawyers and investors branding it a “no-nonsense statement” that will help “deliver on net-zero ambitions”.
Rachel Reeves announced that Labour would remove the de facto ban, which was only in place because of two footnotes in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF), during a speech delivered to business leaders on Monday.
In what was her debut appearance as the UK’s first female Chancellor, she referred to the ban as “absurd”, much to the delight of industry, which have seen the proscription as a needless barrier to economic growth and the race to net-zero.
Catherine Howard, a partner at the international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, said: “It is fantastic to see the effective ban on onshore wind lifted today through changes being made to the National Planning Policy Framework. Never will the deletion of a footnote have made more difference to the delivery of renewable energy.”
Howard’s words were echoed by green infrastructure investors. Minesh Shah, fund manager of FTSE 250 trust, The Renewables Infrastruture Group, said: “The private sector stands ready to invest in renewable electricity generation capacity and grid infrastructure as well as economy-wide electrification…
“The UK has world-leading funding mechanisms… particularly in the onshore wind sector.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte Reid, a planning partner at law firm Ashurst, commented: “Today’s policy statement lifting the ban on onshore wind in England is a clear, no-nonsense statement and is exactly what the industry has been calling for.
“The policy statement won’t result in an uncontrolled rush of onshore windfarms because planning applications still need to get through the system in the usual way.”
Labour’s plan works through proposing a new version of the NPPF which will remove the troublesome footnotes.
In doing so, onshore wind will be moved to level pegging with other forms of infrastructure.
It was also greeted by pro-growth campaigners. Sam Richards, CEO of Britain Remade, calling the ban’s reversal a necessary move to “fix our outdated and sclerotic planning system”, while John Myers, director at the YIMBY Alliance, said: ““The immediate legalisation of onshore wind is an extremely impressive proof of Labour’s determination to move at speed. We hope the Government will continue to deliver at pace to get Britain building.”