Onshore windfarm applications hit 10-year high in England
Applications for new onshore windfarms in England have reached their highest annual level in a decade following the lifting of a de facto ban.
Plans for new onshore windfarms in England have reached their highest annual level in a decade, according to reporting by The Guardian. The resurgence follows the overturning of a Conservative de facto ban that had restricted developments since 2015.
About 45 applications for new onshore windfarms were submitted in the year to March, according to a Guardian analysis of government data. Onshore wind power capacity entering the planning system has more than tripled since the Labour administration lifted the blocks on onshore developments within days of coming to power.
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Before that election victory, applications for about 9 megawatts of onshore wind were submitted in England each month on a 12-month rolling average basis. By the beginning of this year, that rate climbed to about 36MW a month as renewable energy developers returned to England, Aol reported.
The current figures mark a stark contrast to the nadir of onshore wind in England in the months before September 2023. At that time, before Conservative ministers began loosening regulatory red tape, onshore wind applications averaged about 1MW a month. The Guardian previously revealed that Ukraine was completing more onshore windfarms than England during that period, despite being occupied by Russian soldiers.
A government spokesperson defended the shift in energy policy:
"For too long, a de facto ban held back onshore wind in England, despite its potential to strengthen our energy security, grow the economy and get bills down for good. That is why we lifted the ban, backed the largest onshore windfarm in England in a decade through our flagship renewables auction, and made it easier for farms and factories to install a single small turbine – no bigger than an oak tree – without needing planning permission."
Government spokesperson, via The Guardian and Aol
The Imerys project, located near St Austell in Cornwall, became the largest onshore windfarm in England to secure a government subsidy since the ban was lifted earlier this year. The 20MW project highlights a distinct trend toward smaller windfarms in England compared with other parts of Great Britain.
Analysis shows that the average onshore windfarm proposed in England since the ban was lifted features just two turbines and delivers 8MW of renewable power capacity. By comparison, the average onshore windfarm proposed in Scotland over the same period features nine turbines and provides 59MW of capacity.
Only one windfarm with a capacity exceeding 100MW has been proposed in England since the ban was lifted. In contrast, Scotland has seen 18 onshore windfarms proposed with capacities greater than 100MW over the same timeframe.
Total capacity figures reflect a broad regional disparity across Great Britain since the restrictions eased:
- England: 438MW in total proposals
- Wales: 490MW in total proposals
- Scotland: 5,280MW in total proposals
Tara Singh, CEO of RenewableUK, welcomed the renewed momentum for onshore generation in England.
"Onshore wind is one of the UK’s cheapest sources of new electricity, generating power at around half the cost of new gas-fired generation. What’s more, new projects can be built quickly, strengthening our energy security and reducing our exposure to volatile global gas prices at a critical time for the country,"
Tara Singh, CEO, RenewableUK, via The Guardian and Aol
Singh added that the new prime minister's focus on driving growth across every part of the UK aligns with the sector's potential to deliver investment, skilled jobs, and lower energy bills.
Local communities are also seeing direct financial returns from the expansion. Community benefit funds provide £5,000 a year for every megawatt of onshore wind capacity installed across England, enabling residents to invest in local priorities. Nearly 3,000MW of onshore wind is fully operational in England so far, with developers typically investing about 37p back into the local community for every £1 of post-tax profit.
Looking at broader economic impacts, data from RenewableUK suggests the UK onshore wind supply chain could add up to £56bn to the economy by 2050 through increased manufacturing of high-value components such as blades, towers, and cables. Roughly 70% of developers' life cycle spending takes place within the UK.
