Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what scientific research underpins the Government's current policy on the granting of planning permission for onshore wind farms, particularly community-owned onshore wind turbines.

Last year the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, which supports the Industrial Strategy, announced a Local Energy Programme, which supports local actors, community groups, local authorities and combined authorities to develop their own energy strategies and deliver their own energy programmes. Community energy is a key part of clean growth, showing what can happen when groups of people come together to de-carbonise energy in local areas, whilst also investing in these places to bring other economic, or social, benefits. Even small-scale projects can provide a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The National Planning Policy Framework expects local planning authorities to recognise the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources. New tests were introduced into planning in 2015 to give local people the final say on onshore wind planning applications in England, which delivered on a manifesto commitment made by the previous Government. Planning for onshore wind turbines in the UK is devolved outside of England.