A change in the wind: How planning reforms are powering onshore wind development

Onshore wind in Britain

The onshore wind landscape across Great Britain has undergone a shift following recent government policy and planning reforms.

In England, the changes have effectively lifted the “de facto” ban on onshore wind, while Wales has introduced a unified consenting regime under the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024, streamlining approvals for major energy projects including onshore wind. The onshore wind environment in Scotland is overwhelmingly positive with operational projects and those in the pipeline, supported by strong planning policy in favour of onshore wind by recognising its urgent and critical need.

These developments have renewed developer confidence and reopened the market. As momentum continues to build, developers must understand the new opportunities unlocked, alongside the remaining challenges.

The policy reset: what has happened?

Under the previous government, a “de facto” ban on onshore wind development applied in England. Since 2015, proposals could only be approved where: (i) the site was allocated in a development plan; and (ii) the proposal had demonstrable community backing. In practice, these requirements operated as a form of community veto, with even limited local opposition often proving determinative.

The Labour government moved quickly on entering office in July 2024 to remove these barriers, removing both restrictive policy requirements from the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Subsequent reform has reinforced this policy shift. The Infrastructure Planning (Onshore Wind and Solar Generation) Order 2025 reintroduces onshore wind into the nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) regime, alongside an increased generating capacity threshold under section 15(2) of the Planning Act 2008 to 100MW. Projects above this threshold are now automatically treated as NSIPs, while subthreshold schemes remain under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 regime but may opt into the NSIP regime under section 35 where appropriate. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 also introduces greater flexibility, including a potential route to opt out of the NSIP regime where justified by the particular characteristics of a project.

Updated energy National Policy Statements (NPSs), including NPS EN‑1 and NPS EN‑3 have embedded onshore wind in the strategic policy framework for nationally significant infrastructure and, critically, align it with the Government’s Clean Power 2030 agenda. Crucially, onshore wind projects falling within the NPS framework are now treated as a “Critical National Priority” (CNP), giving rise to a strong presumption in favour of granting development consent.

What does this mean in practice?

Reopened pipeline: These changes have reopened the project pipeline in England, with schemes previously facing significant policy barriers now beginning to progress through the planning system. There is now support for the return of large-scale development, particularly for projects in excess of the 100MW threshold.

Repowering opportunities: Many early onshore wind schemes are reaching the end of their operational life, and the current policy environment supports replacing older turbines with newer models. Repowering can offer clear advantages from a planning perspective, including an established baseline of development and existing grid connections, but still requires careful environmental assessment, particularly where turbine height and capacity increase.

Emerging project types: Developers are exploring more complex and flexible projects, including co-locating technologies. Recent amendments to section 15(2)(aa) of the Planning Act 2008 suggest an emerging policy acceptance of co‑located onshore wind and solar development, and we have seen increasing developer interest in such schemes.

A key challenge lies in determining the appropriate consenting strategy, particularly where project thresholds engage multiple generating technologies. The current position, as reflected in the updated National Policy Statement EN‑1, is that capacity thresholds should be assessed on a technology-specific basis rather than cumulatively. While this provides a degree of clarity, it does not entirely resolve the strategic considerations for hybrid schemes, and project promoters will need to carefully assess the most appropriate consenting route on a case-by-case basis.

Key planning considerations for onshore wind

Key land and delivery considerations for onshore wind

Alongside planning and policy considerations, land assembly and property rights are fundamental to the successful delivery of onshore wind projects. Securing a robust and deliverable land strategy at an early stage reduces programme risk and supports a smoother route through consenting and construction.

Key considerations include:

Market outlook and how we can help

Government policy has never been stronger for onshore wind. The NPSs confirm that onshore wind benefits from Critical National Priority status which in most cases means that adverse impacts would not be a reason for refusing consent.

At TLT, our multidisciplinary team combines expert, market-tested experience across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, supporting clients at every stage of onshore wind development. From early site identification and planning strategy, through to grid connection and regulatory engagement, and on to real estate, construction and project delivery, we provide fully integrated support throughout the project lifecycle.

Authors: Amina Harvey and Beth King

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This publication is intended for general guidance and represents our understanding of the relevant law and practice as at June 2026.  For more information see our terms & conditions.