Labour lifts Tories' 'absurd' ban on onshore windfarms

[sl8]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/08/labour-lifts-ban-onshore-windfarms-planning-policy

Labour lifts Tories’ ‘absurd’ ban on onshore windfarms

Rachel Reeves says she will revise planning policy and decisions should be taken nationally, not locally

Helena Horton, Environment reporter
Mon 8 Jul 2024 07.14 EDT

The de facto ban on new onshore windfarms has been dropped by the Labour government, to the delight of environmentalists and energy experts.

The ban was caused by two footnotes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the rules that govern the building of homes and infrastructure.

These footnotes applied only to onshore wind, and no other type of infrastructure, and required such strong proof that there was no opposition locally that they made building turbines impossible, given there is nearly always some local resistance to any building proposal.

In Labour’s new draft NPPF, these footnotes have been deleted in their entirety, meaning onshore wind projects are now on an even footing with all other forms of infrastructure. The change, which comes into force immediately, will be confirmed to parliament on 18 July after the Commons resumes sitting.

[...]

[Think. Again.]

1. Yeah, that sunak guy was the fossil fuel industry's best suck-up yet.

[Jerry2144]

2. First place to build them is all around the

Felonious Flatulent Failure’s golf course. And put more off- shore there, too

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. The ban only applied to England - it's a devolved power for the other nations

and they weren't stupid enough to ban cheap, clean onshore wind.

England has had an effective ban in place on new onshore wind projects since 2015, thwarting any kind of growth there.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak relaxed the rules around onshore wind turbines this month following a rebellion in his own party but developers have slammed the changes as being inadequate and unclear.
...
Unsurprisingly, England’s share is predicted to keep falling, from 21% in 2020 to 11% in 2030.

The report also shows that 93% of new onshore wind capacity submitted for planning approval since 2016 has been in Scotland (11.6GW of a total of 12.5GW submitted UK-wide).

https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/speedy-scotland-leaves-england-in-the-dust-over-new-wind-farms/2-1-1522572

[Jerry2144]

4. Ok. So Scotland should do this anyways

Piss off the Korrupt Korpulent Koprolite even more.