The government has unveiled plans to give ministers the final say on approving large onshore wind farms rather than leaving decisions to local councils, where opposition has often been fierce.
The plan is among proposals to be announced by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on Friday as part of what the government is calling an “ambitious” action plan for reaching 95% clean energy in the UK by 2030.
Miliband also wants to giver powers to the energy regulator to prioritise projects in the queue waiting to link up with the National Grid.
But Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security Claire Coutinho said the plans would simply push bills “even higher”.
Miliband is expected to say the government wants to bring large onshore wind projects back into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime in England.
Labour’s plans would mean the government would have the final say on approving wind farm projects larger than 100MW, rather than councils.
“The era of clean electricity is about harnessing the power of Britain’s natural resources,” Miliband said.
But Coutinho said Labour’s “rush” to decarbonise the electricity system by 2030 would push up electricity prices and cause more hardship for people across Britain.
“We need cheap, reliable energy – not even higher bills,” she said.
Onshore wind is one of the cheapest forms of clean energy. But there has been a 94% decline in projects in England since 2015 when the previous Conservative government tightened planning regulations for wind farms – following pushback from local communities.
Subsequently, only a small number of local objections could effectively block new projects.
Following Labour’s general election victory, planning rules for onshore wind were eased in September 2023. But renewable energy groups said they did not go far enough.
The government is expected to
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