Local Energy Insight: Responding to the Onshore Wind Consultation – A Regen Briefing Session
Online- Zoom
Thursday 9th February
11:00 am – 12:00pm
Onshore wind has faced a long hiatus due to restrictive planning, despite being the cheapest form of electricity generation. The good news is it could be back on the table for communities in England with a new consultation on onshore wind by the government.
To drive this change through, it will be important to get a wide variety of positive voices responding to this consultation – This briefing session was the opportunity to find out more!
About the consultation:
The government’s open consultation on the relaxation of onshore wind planning regulations in the UK is part of wider reforms to national planning policy in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill.
A key part of the consultation is around the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to allow more ‘flexible’ approach to local consenting. There are also sections on engaging local communities and local benefits.
To help you respond to the consultation – this briefing session was an opportunity to hear from Regen experts and ask questions about what the consultation means for communities.
We also produced a briefing document to help you respond to the consultation which closed on 1st March 2023. This guide is sponsored by National Grid for local authorities and communities.
Anyone signed up to this event received a copy when it is published.
Agenda
11:00 Welcome from the chair
Poppy Maltby, Head of Cities and Regions, Regen
11:05 Introduction to the consultation
Hazel Williams, Associate Director, Regen
11:15 Panel statements and discussion
Cathryn Tracey – Senior Associate Burges Salmon
Duncan Law – Policy and Advocacy Manager, Community Energy England
11:35 Questions and discussion
The panel members will be joined by Joseph Duggan & Jerome Ma – Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (Answering questions around process, queries or policy intent)
11:55 Feedback and next steps
12:00 End
Earlier this year, in our blog exploring how local authorities can help to get onshore projects of the ground again, we used a graphic which still serves as a stark illustration of the stalled deployment of onshore wind in England in recent years:
