Is the "defacto ban" on onshore wind actually over?

[dan_b]

Although the Govt announced changes to planning laws to "allow" onshore wind in areas that want it, has that actually ended the defacto ban on onshore wind in England?

https://renews.biz/87940/government-cle ... hore-wind/

[Ken]

I cannot see how anything has changed. The planners side with the objectors in nearly every case now so until someone stands up to the Nimbys nothing will change. This could be a gentle gentle approach to the big hammer. A lot has changed in knowledge and design of wind turbines since the ban so we are really only left with the visual effect but then we are into "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder" and objectors to everything whilst using the services of everything they object to.

In any case the growth area will be in reconfiguring the old sites which in itself will double the output of what are good sites. A bit more difficult to object when they have been there for 20yrs + .

[Mart]

The problem, as I understood it, was that in 2015 when getting rid of all the green crap, the Gov changed the rules, so that they (central government) could overide the decision of the LA.

So, wind farm application made, some objections made, but most happy with it. LA gives permission. CG takes on board that some have objected, and over-rule the decision, blocking permission.

At the very same time, they changed the rules for fracking, so that if the LA refused permission, CG could over-ride it, and give permission.

On-shore whilst being the least popular of most of the RE options, was still very popular over a decade ago. The Public Attitude Tracker survey, carried out every 3 months, had on-shore wind at about 65% approve, and 12% oppose (PV and off-shore wind tend to be in the high 70's low 80's). Over the last 10yrs, people have continued to soften to RE, as both the visual and economic (subsidy) impacts turned out to be far less than imagined.

Support for on-shore wind is now around 75%, but more importantly, opposition has fallen to around 8%. In effect, around 1/3rd of those that were oppossed, no longer give a s..t!

Support in rural areas for wind and PV farms, is only a little behind the national average. This is where you'd think the NIMBY's would be, where the RE will be deployed. And rural areas that already have some RE, actually have stronger support (reality trumps fears).

[Oliver90owner]

Give the local objectors an alternative - like that of siting the next nuclear facility on their doorstep?

[Swwils]

Even with relaxed rules and favourable geographies wind farms aren't built where they are needed.

[nowty]

Even with relaxed rules and favourable geographies wind farms aren't built where they are needed.

They are needed in Southern England and there are many suitable locations, especially coastal places in Kent, Dorset and Devon.

There are already quite a few in East Anglia and Cornwall.

[Swwils]

The best example that comes to mind is Texas, its very easy to build out there, most of the geography is great and development rules are "easy" for turbines and as a result installations have been comparatively popular.

However over the last decade they see farms not located close to where the power is required, especially residential area, where it would see the most benefit, for whatever reason.

We have a real tricky issue without nodal pricing in the UK, but as we have discussed before expect stiff resistance for it. As soon as they offer more cash for that Southern locale the NIMBYS can be battled more effectively. It doesn't mean that the energy will be cheaper though.