An effective ban on onshore wind farm developments is set to be eased by the government, following several years of tough planning regulation.
Following pressure from conservative backbenchers, the change will come as an amendment to the Energy Bill.
This will see local communities allowed to apply for onshore wind turbines to be installed in their area, with elected councillors ultimately making the final decision.
Developers and local councils had previously been subject to rules by which one objection would block turbines from being installed entirely.
“To increase our energy security and develop a cleaner, greener economy, we are introducing new measures to allow local communities to back onshore wind power projects,” levelling up secretary Michael Gove said.
“This will only apply in areas where developments have community support, but these changes will help build on Britain's enormous success as a global leader in offshore wind.”
Due to tough rules, just ten new onshore wind projects were installed in the UK in 2022, according to trade body RenewableUK, while ten times that was built offshore.
Though subject to less reliable windy conditions, building turbines onshore is a cheaper and more efficient process.
Rules introduced by the conservative government in 2016 have effectively slowed the rollout of onshore turbines to a stall though, with some 20 backbenchers having lobbied the current government to change the rules.