The government has lifted a ‘de facto ban’ on onshore windfarms in England, with immediate effect, as part of an overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
The ban was lifted by deleting two NPPF footnotes requiring proof of community support, which effectively refused permission for wind turbines in the event of any local opposition.
The government will also consult on bringing onshore wind into the significant infrastructure projects regime, which are decided nationally not locally, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her first major speech this week.
Reeves said the government will take a growth-focused approach, reforming the NPPF, giving priority to energy projects and setting mandatory housing targets, including homes for social rents. An extra 300 planning officers will be recruited to support local authorities, and a taskforce set up to accelerate stalled housing sites, including at Liverpool docks and other sites representing more than 14,000 homes. Reeves reiterated Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years.
Local planning authorities will also be asked to review green belt boundaries, prioritising brownfield and grey belt land for development.
Welcoming the proposals, Daniel Browne, real estate & construction partner, Kingsley Napley, said: ‘A promise to increase planning officials across the country will help to ease delays in planning decisions, but the real gamechanger is the review of greenbelt land.
‘This will create new opportunities to build more houses, new towns and commercial hubs and should unlock investment and economic growth, first through a build and construction phase then later through the new purpose area when complete. With a rising environmental lobby this may not be all plain sailing, but developers will certainly be thinking afresh from today about the possibilities ahead.’
