Wind planning policy statements published

Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband today published national policy statements for wind power that will help hasten the progress of 700MW of wind projects stuck in the planning system.

The policy statements are open for public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny until March next year.

When agreed, the newly formed Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will use them as a basis for making the final decision on approving the construction of onshore wind farms over 50MW and offshore wind farms over 100MW.

As much as 8GW of wind power is estimated to be stuck in the planning system – largely thanks to a low approval rate from local authorities.

Many of these projects are under 50MW and will not be affected by the new measures, but the BWEA estimates 14 sites of over 50MW currently in the system will benefit from the faster approval process.

Ed Miliband told the Commons today that not enough progress was being made on approving new wind projects.

"Saying no [to these projects] everywhere would not be in the national interest," he said.

The IPC will make decisions on proposals within its remit in a year, Miliband said, far faster than the current process, which takes an average of two years and sometimes as long as five.

Chris Tomlinson, director of programme strategy at the British Wind Energy Association, welcomed the move.

"We need a fresh and proactive look at planning issues appropriately balancing the national need with the interests of local communities," he said.

But Gaynor Hartnell, director of policy at the Renewable Energy Association, said the policy statements should have applied to smaller projects as well.

“We welcome the speeding up of decisions on transmission lines, but the National Policy Statements (NPS) won’t make much difference when it comes to renewable power projects," she said.

"Local Authorities will still determine the vast majority of project decisions, and that regime is crying out to be made more consistent and efficient."

The government also published policy statements on clean coal, new nuclear and electricity networks today, all of which will be used as blueprints for planning decisions by the IPC.

Today in the Commons, shadow energy minister Greg Clark echoed the sentiments of many in the industry.

"We welcome the statements, but why did they leave it so long to act?" he said.