27th Feb 2023

To:

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Re: Government must lift the ban on onshore wind turbines – Remove Footnotes 62 and 63

Dear Secretaries of State,

We are writing to you to express our deep concern that the government apparently has no credible plans to lift the de facto ban on onshore wind.

Government rules, introduced in 2015, mean that just one objection to an onshore wind farm can block the whole project, meaning there’s effectively been a ban in place for 8 years. As a result, there has been a 96% decrease in the number of new turbines approved in England. Many communities who would see great benefits from onshore wind have projects standing by with overwhelming local support, yet are unable to proceed.

Responsibly developed onshore wind is one of the cheapest, cleanest and most nature-friendly forms of energy available, and has the power to address climate change and the existential threat it poses to our natural world. While our energy bills have sky-rocketed and we continue to import foreign gas, it is extraordinary that the government isn’t doing everything possible to maximise the potential of onshore wind.

For our national energy security, and for the sake of the planet, we cannot afford to block this crucial clean energy source any longer.

The evidence is compelling that ending the ban on onshore wind is an essential step if the Government is serious about its commitment to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Climate Change Committee and The Mission Zero Report both recommend the rapid deployment of onshore wind.

However, the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework which are currently under consultation are entirely inadequate to bring about the required change in policy. The decision to replace Footnote 54 with some marginally revised wording, in the form of new Footnotes 62 and 63, looks to be almost identical in effect, and inevitably means the effective ban will remain in place.

At the very least, onshore wind planning applications should be assessed on a level playing field with all other infrastructure projects. We are therefore calling for the removal of Footnotes 62 and 63 (previously Footnote 54) from the National Planning Policy Framework.

Let’s end a policy that hampers both climate progress and energy security and open up the possibility of wind power across England now.

Yours,

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - Author, Cook and TV Presenter

Leo Murray - Co-Director, Possible

Dale Vince OBE - Green Industrialist and Founder of Ecotricity

Nick Bruce White - Interim Director, RSBP

Caroline Lucas MP - Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, former leader and co-leader of the Green Party

Dr Rebecca Windemer - Senior Lecturer of Environmental Planning, UWE Bristol

Prof Sir David King - FRS, Former Govt CSA and Climate Envoy, Chair and Founder, Climate Crisis Advisory Group

Areeba Hamid and Will McCallum - Co-Executive Directors, Greenpeace UK

Hugh Knowles and Miriam Turner - Co-Executive Directors, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Prof Alice Roberts - Professor Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science, University of Birmingham

Chris Packham CBE - Broadcaster and Environmental Activist

Prof Dave Goulson - University of Sussex

Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE - Director, Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), University of Bath

Liz Bonnin - Science, Natural History and Environmental Broadcaster

Baroness Bryony Worthington

Cameron Hepburn - Professor of Environmental Economics, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford

Dimitri Zenghelis - Visiting Senior Fellow, Grantham Research Institute (LSE) and Bennett Institute, University of Cambridge

Baroness Rosie Boycott

Professor Mark Maslin FRGS, FRSA - Department of Geography, UCL

Prof. Pete Smith FRS, FRSE, FNA, FEurASc, FI Soil Sci., FRSB - Professor of Soils and Global Change, University of Aberdeen

Deborah Meaden - Business leader and Investor

Jonathon Porritt - Environmental Campaigner and Author

Ed Gillespie - British environmental entrepreneur, speaker, futurist, and author

Mark Stevenson - Author, former special advisor on Peace, Security and Climate Change to UK MoD, ambassador for Client Earth and Climate Entrepreneur

Mike Berners-Lee - Author of There is No Planet B, Founder, Small World Consulting, Professor, Lancaster University.

James Robottom - Head of Onshore Wind, RenewableUK

Joan Edwards - Director of Policy and Public Affairs, The Wildlife Trusts

Satish Kumar - Founder of Schumacher College and Editor Emeritus of Resurgence and Ecologist magazine

Fehinti Balogun - Actor and Climate Activist

Kevin McCloud MBE - Broadcaster

Jon Richardson - Comedian

Mary Portas - Founder of We Are Portas, Business Woman, Broadcaster and Author. Co-Chair Better Business Act

Natalie Fée - Founder, City to Sea

Dr Ruza Ivanovic - Associate Professor in Climatology, University of Leeds

Lizzie Carr MBE - Founder, Planet Patrol

Abigail Entwistle - Senior Conservation Director, Fauna and Flora

Merlin Hyman OBE - Chief Executive, Regen

Dr Alison Green - ED, Scientists Warning Foundation

Patrick Holden - CEO and Founder, Sustainable Food Trust

Helen Browning - Chief Executive Officer, Soil Association

Guy Singh-Watson - Founder, Riverford

Mike Smyth MBE - Chair, Energy4All

Emma Bridge - Chief Executive, Community Energy England

Steve Shaw - Director, Power for People

Simon Francis - Co-ordinator, End Fuel Poverty Coalition

Stephen Platt - Treasurer, Hope Valley Climate Action

Alice Harrison - Strategy Lead, Global Witness

Giles Bristow - Interim CEO, Ashden

Linda Walker - Coordinator, High Peak Green New Deal

Kevin Oubridge - Business Net Zero

Sue Riddlestone OBE - Chief Executive, Bioregional

Revd Dr Darrell D Hannah - Chair, Operation Noah

Chaitanya Kumar - Head of Environment and Green Transitions, New Economic Foundation

Andrew Pendleton - Acting Chief Executive, Global Action Plan

Jon Hallé - Co-founder, Sharenergy Co-operative

Danny Dorling - Professor of Geography, University of Oxford

Melissa Hemsley - Food writer, cookbook author and sustainability champion

Joel Scott-Halkes - Wild Card and RePlanet UK

Emma Smart - Campaign Manager, RePlanet UK

Dustin Benton - Policy Director, Green Alliance

Kath Norgrove FCIWEM C.WEM CEnv - Chair, Sustainable Bridgnorth

Bruce Davis - Joint Managing Director, Abundance Investment

Sophy Fearnley-Whittingstall - Renewable energy and climate campaigner

Nancy Stewart - Chair, Market Drayton Climate Action

Nick Powell - TV Producer and Author of ‘Poppy Goes Wild’

Keith Hempshall - Director, Local and Community Empowerment Team, Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE)

Deborah Tomkins - Co-chair, Green Christian

Prof Simon L. Lewis - Department of Geography, UCL

Dr Amy McDonnell - Campaign Director, Zero Hour

Professor Paul Ekins - Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources

Matthew Paterson - Director, Sustainable Consumption Institute/Dept of Politics, University of Manchester

Dr James Dyke - Associate Professor in Earth System Science, Assistant Director Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter

Peter Newell - Professor of International Relations, Sussex University

Matt Watson - Professor of Geography, University of Sheffield

Bill McGuire - Professor Emeritus of Geophysical and Climate Hazards, UCL

Prof. Neil B. Metcalfe - University of Glasgow

Professor David Burslem - Interdisciplinary Director, Environment and Biodiversity, University of Aberdeen

Prof. David Humphreys - Emeritus Professor of Environmental Policy, Open University

Mia Gray - Professor of Economic Geography, University of Cambridge

Professor Caroline Lear - Director of Research, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University

Professor Emeritus Martin Price - University of the Highlands and Islands

Professor Heiko Balzter - National Centre for Earth Observation and School of Geography, Geology and Environment, University of Leicester

Andrew Simms - Co-director, New Weather Institute

Dr Stuart Parkinson - ED, Scientists for Global Responsibility

Dr Jan Maskell - Vice Chair, Scientists for Global Responsibility

Dr Christopher Hassall - Associate Professor of Biology, University of Leeds

Dr Wendy Hollway - Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Open University, UK

Frederick Toates - Professor Emeritus, Open University

Professor Richard Cochrane - Associate Professor in Renewable Energy, University of Exeter

Prof Justin Hinshelwood - Associate Professor in Renewable Energy (Education and Scholarship), University of Exeter

Dr Steve Carver - Director, Wildland Research Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Malcolm Adkins - Chair, Wem Area Climate Action (WACA)

Pete Capener - Managing Director, Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE)

Ollie Pendered - CEO, Community Energy South

ffinlo Costain - Chief Executive, Farmwel

Prof John Marsham - Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, UK

Caryn Loftus - Director/Company Secretary, Whitby Esk Energy

Als Parker - Director, Devon Energy Collective CIC

Nick Mann - Founder, Habitat Aid Ltd

Dr Guy Parker - Director, Wychwood Biodiversity

Professor Kate Jeffery - Head of School, Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary

and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow

Rowan Ryrie - Co-founder, Parents for Future UK.

Melissa Green - CEO, National Federation of Women’s Institutes

Dave Green - Secretary, Shropshire and Telford community Energy

Jake Burnyeat - Director, Communities for Renewables CIC

Ece Ozdemiroglu - CEO, eftec

Adam Twine - Founding Director, Westmill Wind and Solar Coops

Mike Watkins - Co-ordinator, Bishop’s Castle Climate Action Group

Chris Deaves - Chair of Trustees, Zero Carbon Shropshire

Nik Clutterbuck - Director and Treasurer, Evesham Vale Energy Renewables

Cath Edwards - Secretary, Sustainable Newport Shropshire

David Matthews - Chair of Trustees, Stretton Climate Care

Mike Parker - Chair, Sedgeberrow Sustainable and Manageable Energy CIC

Jane Cullen - Chair, South Shropshire Climate Action

Richard Lane - Director, York Community Energy

Simon Gibbon - Steering Committee Member, Climate Action Stokesley and Villages

Fiona Morgan - Trustee, Climate Action Hub Telford

Emma Pinchbeck - Chief Executive of Energy UK

Lorna Powell - Organiser, Mothers Rise Up

Matthew Clayton - Managing Director. Thrive Renewables

Dominic Winter - Head of Programmes, Protect Our Winters UK

It takes just a few clicks to add your voice to this amazing list of people speaking up for onshore wind.