Infra.Law
Winds of Opportunity: An Ambitious Strategy to Support the Onshore Wind Industry
By Rachael Davidson
Hot on the heels of the legislative changes to bring onshore wind back within scope of the UK’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure (NSIP) regime and trailed an upcoming strategy, on 4 July the Government published the Onshore Wind Taskforce Strategy (the Strategy) setting out how the UK government will increase the deployment of onshore wind to help meet Clean Power 2030 (CP2030) targets.
The Strategy reiterates the CP2030 requirement of 27-29GW of onshore wind capacity (from the current 14.8GW in Great Britain (and 16GW in the UK)). Such an increase, though challenging, will have significant economic benefits alongside the net zero benefits. Given the need to almost double the current capacity in five years, the Strategy sets out 42 actions couched within six key themes to resolve the key blockers to onshore wind deployment in the UK.
Theme 1: Site selection, preparation and consenting
A key issue, not unique to onshore wind development, is the need to improve attrition rates of projects failing to progress to construction due to barriers faced in the consenting process. While a number of significant steps have been taken to streamline the consenting process for NSIPs and there are a number of prior planning changes still to come in (e.g. the change to Environmental Outcome Reporting to replace Environmental Impact Assessment), the Strategy further promises:
- scoping of a prototype data tool to support Local Planning Authorities, NGOs and statutory consultees when they monitor the pipeline of onshore wind projects and likely areas of development based on wind speeds, to enable them to plan accordingly;
- the updating of national planning policy and guidance to ensure these are relevant to onshore wind, including:
- publication of updated Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) in Autumn 2025 with changes to (a) signal that greater flexibility in operational consent durations may be available for development proceeding under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and (b) support repowering and lifetime extensions of existing sites;
- a consultation on an updated National Policy Statement (NPS) including new onshore wind policy, by the end of 2025, as part of a wider suite of NPS updates;
- reviewing best practice guidance on landscape and visual impact assessments, including considering alignment with guidance currently in place in Scotland;
- working with Historic England to update their guidance on commercial onshore wind energy development and the historic environment;
- working with Natural England and the Royal Society for Protection of Birds to review existing guidance on bird collision risk (dating back to 2015) and consider the potential to adopt or align with contemporary approaches in Scotland; and
- updating Guidance for the Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Turbines;
- a consultation on permitted development rights for small‑scale deployment and repowering; and
- training and resource support for local authorities and statutory consultees assessing applications.
Theme 1: Site selection, preparation and consenting
A key issue, not unique to onshore wind development, is the need to improve attrition rates of projects failing to progress to construction due to barriers faced in the consenting process. While a number of significant steps have been taken to streamline the consenting process for NSIPs and there are a number of prior planning changes still to come in (e.g. the change to Environmental Outcome Reporting to replace Environmental Impact Assessment), the Strategy further promises:
- scoping of a prototype data tool to support Local Planning Authorities, NGOs and statutory consultees when they monitor the pipeline of onshore wind projects and likely areas of development based on wind speeds, to enable them to plan accordingly;
- the updating of national planning policy and guidance to ensure these are relevant to onshore wind, including:
- publication of updated Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) in Autumn 2025 with changes to (a) signal that greater flexibility in operational consent durations may be available for development proceeding under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and (b) support repowering and lifetime extensions of existing sites;
- a consultation on an updated National Policy Statement (NPS) including new onshore wind policy, by the end of 2025, as part of a wider suite of NPS updates;
- reviewing best practice guidance on landscape and visual impact assessments, including considering alignment with guidance currently in place in Scotland;
- working with Historic England to update their guidance on commercial onshore wind energy development and the historic environment;
- working with Natural England and the Royal Society for Protection of Birds to review existing guidance on bird collision risk (dating back to 2015) and consider the potential to adopt or align with contemporary approaches in Scotland; and
- updating Guidance for the Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Turbines;
- a consultation on permitted development rights for small‑scale deployment and repowering; and
- training and resource support for local authorities and statutory consultees assessing applications.
Theme 2: Networks and system planning
The Strategy reiterates the Government’s commitment to taking urgent action to address grid problems to ensure that the grid can support low-carbon generation such as onshore wind. A number of important actions are already underway, including ongoing work with Ofgem, NESO and network companies to progress radical connections reform. Revised connection offers for pre-2030 connections are expected from September to January 2026, with remaining post-2030 connection offers to be issued by May 2026. Work is already underway for delivery of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (for the period 2030-2050) at the end of 2026, to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure. The Centralised Strategic Network Plan will build on the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan by making comprehensive transmission network recommendations extending out to 2050 and is anticipated to be released in 2027. In addition to the above, the Strategy proposes reviews of various charging arrangements and connections incentives and obligations for NESO and network companies. This dovetails with the Government’s review of electricity market arrangements (REMA) and its recent announcement confirming that it will not be pursuing zonal pricing, and reform with a retained single national wholesale price “is the best way to deliver a fair, affordable, secure, and efficient electricity system”.
Theme 3: Community and public perception
Local support for onshore wind projects is critical. The Strategy looks at a community benefits case study in relation to the Tallentire Wind Farm which delivers direct community benefits to the local community via a local electricity discount scheme for properties within 2km of the turbines. The annual discount is index-linked annually and, in 2024, eligible properties benefitted from a discount of £145. The project also provides a community benefit fund of £24,000 per year, totalling a community benefit package worth around £60,000 per year. The Strategy finds that if 29GW of onshore wind capacity is delivered by 2030, this could unlock approximately £70m of additional private investment in rural towns and villages per year. On this basis, the Strategy proposes new commitments to further enhance the relationship between onshore wind developers and local community stakeholders, through publishing updated Community Benefits Guidance for Onshore Wind in England and updating the PPG to include best practice principles of engagement to ensure pre-application consultation with local communities is undertaken to the highest standards. The next featured article in this edition is about the move toward a mandatory community benefit system and associated updates to guidance for onshore wind. The Strategy also proposes measures to improve onshore wind messaging, including a net zero public participation strategy to be published in 2025 and, at the regional level, RenewableUK will work with the wind industry to:
- co-ordinate communications campaigns to complement the existing consultation work that developers already do with communities at a project level; and
- develop a series of regional press and community communication briefings alongside trusted regional NGOs, community energy organisations, and charities to support national government communications campaigning on net zero.
Theme 4: Aviation and defence
Onshore wind turbines can interfere with the operation of civil aviation and defence infrastructure by causing physical obstruction or by showing up as false positives on communications, navigation or surveillance equipment. To manage this issue, Air Navigation Service Providers are permitted to raise objections to onshore wind planning applications requiring the developer to work with the relevant operator to agree and deliver a solution – this process can be both lengthy and costly and, if an agreed solution cannot be reached, can be fatal to the proposed development. The Strategy therefore proposes a range of new commitments to tackle onshore wind interference issues with civil and military radar while still ensuring such applications are able to proceed, including but not limited to:
- an annual survey to quantify the impact of aviation and defence objections on the onshore wind sector;
- a developer-funded programme of trials to test potential solutions to onshore wind turbine interference with Ministry of Defence air traffic control radars;
- enhancing the role of the Civil Aviation Authority to act as a mediator in local mitigation processes; and
- updates to CAP764 guidance (which provides advice to airports on the policy treatment of wind turbines) to provide clearer guidelines on how airports manage interference from onshore wind developments and consider whether additional best practice guidance is required to aid interpretation.
Theme 3: Community and public perception
Local support for onshore wind projects is critical. The Strategy looks at a community benefits case study in relation to the Tallentire Wind Farm which delivers direct community benefits to the local community via a local electricity discount scheme for properties within 2km of the turbines. The annual discount is index-linked annually and, in 2024, eligible properties benefitted from a discount of £145. The project also provides a community benefit fund of £24,000 per year, totalling a community benefit package worth around £60,000 per year. The Strategy finds that if 29GW of onshore wind capacity is delivered by 2030, this could unlock approximately £70m of additional private investment in rural towns and villages per year. On this basis, the Strategy proposes new commitments to further enhance the relationship between onshore wind developers and local community stakeholders, through publishing updated Community Benefits Guidance for Onshore Wind in England and updating the PPG to include best practice principles of engagement to ensure pre-application consultation with local communities is undertaken to the highest standards. The next featured article in this edition is about the move toward a mandatory community benefit system and associated updates to guidance for onshore wind. The Strategy also proposes measures to improve onshore wind messaging, including a net zero public participation strategy to be published in 2025 and, at the regional level, RenewableUK will work with the wind industry to:
- co-ordinate communications campaigns to complement the existing consultation work that developers already do with communities at a project level; and
- develop a series of regional press and community communication briefings alongside trusted regional NGOs, community energy organisations, and charities to support national government communications campaigning on net zero.
Theme 4: Aviation and defence
Onshore wind turbines can interfere with the operation of civil aviation and defence infrastructure by causing physical obstruction or by showing up as false positives on communications, navigation or surveillance equipment. To manage this issue, Air Navigation Service Providers are permitted to raise objections to onshore wind planning applications requiring the developer to work with the relevant operator to agree and deliver a solution – this process can be both lengthy and costly and, if an agreed solution cannot be reached, can be fatal to the proposed development. The Strategy therefore proposes a range of new commitments to tackle onshore wind interference issues with civil and military radar while still ensuring such applications are able to proceed, including but not limited to:
- an annual survey to quantify the impact of aviation and defence objections on the onshore wind sector;
- a developer-funded programme of trials to test potential solutions to onshore wind turbine interference with Ministry of Defence air traffic control radars;
- enhancing the role of the Civil Aviation Authority to act as a mediator in local mitigation processes; and
- updates to CAP764 guidance (which provides advice to airports on the policy treatment of wind turbines) to provide clearer guidelines on how airports manage interference from onshore wind developments and consider whether additional best practice guidance is required to aid interpretation.
Theme 5: Finance and routes to market
It is trite to state that onshore wind developers are facing a number of delivery challenges, such as a higher base rate of interest, upward pressure on commodity prices, and constraints in the supply chain, all of which are exacerbated by wider issues relating to planning delay and grid connection issues. The result is that projects are now far more expensive to build and less attractive to finance. The Strategy proposes the establishment of a joint Government / industry subgroup as part of a new Onshore Wind Council. The Government will set up a 2030 pipeline and this subgroup will work to identify and monitor specific challenges facing projects to maximise 2030 delivery. In addition:
- the Government on 15 July 2025 published its response to the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7 consultation which considers appropriate reforms to the scheme;
- the National Wealth Fund will explore potential structures to support onshore wind projects or portfolios with Power Purchase Agreements, where the end-user does not have an investment-grade credit rating; and
- the Government on 10 July 2025 published its summary of REMA decisions which include publishing a reformed National Pricing Delivery Plan, setting out the next steps on design and delivery, later this year.
Theme 6: Supply chain, skills and workforce
Increased onshore wind deployment will provide new skills and job opportunities. The Strategy quotes estimates which suggest that the onshore wind sector directly supports 6,600 fulltime equivalent (FTE) jobs, and indirectly supports 13,100 FTE, in addition to generating £191m per year in exports. If CP2030 targets are met, this could deliver up to 45,000 direct and indirect jobs in Great Britain. The Strategy therefore proposes new commitments including:
- undertaking supply chain research to better understand constraints and opportunities across the onshore wind sector;
- consider expanding the Clean Industry Bonus (which covers the difference in cost between more expensive but more desirable supply chain investments as against cheaper but less desirable investments) to incentivise offshore wind developers to invest in the most deprived communities;
- publishing the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy and explore options for boosting skills needed within the sector;
- industry to conduct workforce monitoring to provide demographic data from which appropriate targets will be set.
Implementation
The Onshore Wind Council is being created to oversee the implementation of the Strategy and to develop the further actions likely needed to achieve the CP2030 targets. The Council will be supported by a pipeline and delivery group comprised of onshore wind developers, supply chain companies and the Government. The Onshore Wind Council and supporting group will undertake detailed monitoring and evaluation through tracking:
- the onshore wind pipeline to 2030 and beyond. This will ensure it is clear which are the key projects needed to reach CP2030 (and beyond) targets, identify where challenges are emerging and what actions are needed to keep important investments on track.
- key performance indicators related to many of the actions committed to by the Government in the Strategy, to understand whether the actions are having the desired impact.
- wider economic and financial factors influencing the onshore wind industry, with the potential to either boost or hamper progress.
Comment
The Strategy is comprehensive and ambitious; however, its success will depend on whether the actions are enough to surmount some significant challenges in a fairly tight timescale. The Strategy tackles the planning issue head-on, and we can expect some of those actions to move quickly, (and indeed some have already been actioned) where updated NPSs and PPG are expected in the back half of 2025. Similarly, it is commendable that the Strategy has identified clear proposals to address the friction between onshore wind and defence/aviation. The importance of local community support is well understood, and the role of community benefits may be crucial to achieving CP2030. The knottiest issue is, of course, the grid issue and it remains to be seen whether the actions proposed to address this will be enough in the remaining time we have to reach CP2030.
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