Labour paves way for new Norfolk onshore wind farms

Rachel Reeves, the incoming chancellor, introduced new measures to give the sites an easier ride through the planning system, as part of a range of reforms intended to boost economic growth.

The change could have a significant impact in the region, which experts say contains huge areas which are suitable for such sites.

At least half a dozen renewables companies have started to identify sites for full-scale windfarms across the country.

Rachel Reeves has changed rules around onshore wind farms (Image: Newsquest)

Green campaigners and the energy sector have welcomed the move, which reverses measures brought in for England by the Conservatives in 2015 under David Cameron.

But Norfolk countryside campaigners warned it "did not bode well for democracy".

Onshore wind was treated differently from other developments under the rules, with policy interpreted as meaning schemes could be blocked if there were any objections.

When he was prime minister, Rishi Sunak claimed to make moves towards changing that through small changes to the planning regulations, but campaigners said those were ineffectual.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves

But Ms Reeves, in her first speech as chancellor said: "As of today, we are ending the absurd ban on new onshore wind in England.

"We will also go further and consult on bringing onshore wind back into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, meaning decisions on large developments will be taken nationally not locally."

READ MORE: Map: Where in Norfolk could wind turbines be built?

David Hook, from Norfolk CPRE (Image: Bill Smith)

However, David Hook, from CPRE Norfolk, said: "One of the new government's first actions is to deprive local communities of their right to say no.

"It doesn't bode well for democracy that the government, elected by only a third of the votes cast, feels empowered to act in such an arrogant manner because a distorted voting system has provided it with a thumping majority.

"We are not against onshore wind, but it doesn't have to be these megafarms and we would be very upset if these decisions are taken away from the community."

Green Waveney Valley MP Adrian Ramsay (Image: Green Party)

But Adrian Ramsay, newly-elected Green MP Waveney Valley, welcomed the move.

He said: "We need to see more renewable energy in the UK of various sorts, done in the right way, and so Labour have taken a step in the right direction with that today.

"What we’ll be pushing for alongside that is measures that will help individual residents because we have the leakiest homes in Europe here in the UK, which is why people’s energy bills are going up and up.

"So we want to see a nationwide programme to get people’s homes insulated in a way that keeps bills down, keeps homes warm, and that's something we’ll be pushing the government to do much more on."

The government issued revised guidance to local councils last Monday.

WIND BLOWING THIS WAY?

Earlier this year, a study by Exeter University and Friends of the Earth identified approximately 375,000 hectares in East Anglia as highly suitable for new onshore wind and solar farms.

A map showing potential sites for wind farms and solar farms in East Anglia (Image: Friends of the Earth)

The study suggested the region has the potential to generate more than 18,000GwH of solar and onshore wind energy, with thousands of sites identified as being suitable for new farms.

However, there have been concerns that wind turbine structures will devalue people's properties and damage the surrounding landscape.

There is also fear that converting land into solar farms will reduce the UK’s agricultural potential, with knock-on effects on food security.

However, many in the renewables sector argue these concerns are unfounded, and that new analysis suggests there is plenty of land that can be used without harming agricultural production.

The onshore wind farm issue comes at a time when there is concern in parts of Norfolk and Waveney about how power from offshore wind farms will be distributed across the country.

National Grid is proposing 114 miles of pylons from Norwich to Tilbury to take power from wind farms off the Norfolk coast to Essex.

Critics argue the power company has not properly considered alternatives, such as undersea cables.

Pylons were a major issue on the doorstep in the election campaign in the South Norfolk and Waveney constituencies.