Blown out of proportion: The case for onshore wind. 

By Daisy Sheerman – Senior Account Manager

For the past ten years, onshore wind has faced a de facto ban. In 2015, the Conservatives amended the National Planning Policy Framework to state that developers in England and Wales had to demonstrate that there was zero local opposition to a proposal, and projects had to be located on land allocated in local plans. As a result, the onshore wind sector in England collapsed, with developers focusing on Scotland and offshore projects. However, Labour’s election marked a shift, with the Government lifting the onshore wind ban and setting ambitious targets to double onshore wind capacity and quadruple offshore wind generation by 2030, developers have been given the green light to bring forward new projects.

Despite the promising shift in policy supporting onshore wind, alongside wider changes to the NSIP regime through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, the sector continues to face challenges. These can be attributed to the sector’s limited recent experience in England; however, several key challenges remain:

• Local identity

• Public perception

• Political appetite

Local identity

Onshore wind is often controversial not because communities reject renewable energy in principle, but because wind farms can feel deeply at odds with local identity and sense of place. For many residents, particularly in rural or coastal areas, landscapes are not just physical spaces but are tied to heritage, livelihood, and cultural meaning. The introduction of turbines can be seen as an industrialisation of these environments that disrupts views, historic character, and even tourism economies. Communities feel that development is being imposed on them, with benefits such as reduced energy bills or investment going elsewhere, whilst the visual and environmental impacts are felt locally. Whilst we see high levels of opposition to onshore wind projects, this is often less about the technology itself and more about its relationship with place, identity and land use, reinforcing the need for meaningful engagement with local communities and stakeholders throughout the development process, to ensure their voices are heard.

Public perception

Public perception of onshore wind is also shaped by the visibility of turbines being switched off, which can undermine confidence in the need for further development. For communities local to wind farms, seeing turbines stand idle can lead to the belief that infrastructure is unnecessary. This has been reinforced by a growing number of articles and sensationalist headlines highlighting developers being paid to switch turbines off when the grid cannot accommodate the power, sometime known as curtailment payments, suggesting that costs are being passed on to consumers through energy bills. While turbines being switched off is due to constraints in the electricity network rather than a lack of demand, and is not a practice unique to renewable energy, the distinction is not always clear to those living nearby. As a result, the idea that renewable energy is being ‘wasted’ can fuel scepticism, reinforcing the belief that new projects bring disruption without delivering consistent or tangible benefits.

Political appetite

A further constraint is the disconnect between national net zero ambitions and local political priorities. While onshore wind is supported at a national level, this is not always reflected locally. Local councillors and MPs can adopt a more cautious or oppositional stance in response to constituent concerns or due to differing party policies. This dynamic is often shaped by sensitivity to local opinion, particularly in the areas previously mentioned where questions around landscape, fairness, and necessity are more prominent, leading representatives to prioritise electoral sentiment. It is often reinforced due to availability of grid connections, where turbines are concentrated in particular areas, creating a sense of imbalance and raising concerns about fairness in how impacts are distributed. As a result, schemes that align with broader energy objectives can still face resistance at a local level, creating a fragmented landscape in which political positioning, campaign pressures, and reputational considerations influence decision making. Bridging the gap between strategy and sentiment

With the Labour Party’s commitment to making Britain a clean energy superpower, further changes will be required to bring communities on board. In July 2025, the Government published dedicated community guidance for onshore wind in England, marking a shift away from broader renewables guidance and signalling a recognition of the specific challenges facing the sector. The guidance sets out expectations around eligibility and extent, best practice engagement, and the range of models available for delivering local benefits. Alongside this, the introduction of the Planning and Infrastructure Act is reshaping the wider framework for energy projects, including reducing statutory consultation requirements.

While Government is setting the direction, the development sector has a key role to play in supporting this transition. It is important that developers not only follow the guidance but also tailor their approach to reflect the needs and priorities of individual communities. With a more flexible consultation environment emerging, there is an opportunity to focus on engagement that is proportionate, meaningful and community led, helping to build trust, demonstrate local value, and ensure that residents feel their voices have genuinely been heard.

For support on the changes introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, and on delivering effective engagement strategies for onshore wind, please contact Cavendish’s Infrastructure and Energy team here.