UK homeowners to be allowed wind turbines in gardens amid energy crisis
Businesses, schools and farms in the UK could soon install small wind turbines without needing planning permission under new government proposals aimed at reducing energy bills and boosting clean power.
The plans will allow these organizations to install a single turbine up to 30 meters high – a height authorities say is equal to the height of a mature oak tree – without a formal planning application, provided certain conditions are met.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the initiative would give businesses, schools and farmers “the tools to reduce their bills and make the most of their land.”
The move forms part of the government’s broader clean energy push, which is framed as a response to the “current global energy crisis caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran.”
In recent days ministers have also unveiled plans for plug-in solar panels suitable for balconies, backed reforms to speed up nuclear site development and announced an upcoming tender round for renewable energy generation contracts.
Currently, permitted development rights for onshore wind are largely limited to small domestic turbines with strict height and size limitations.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz) highlighted that current planning regulations and the associated high costs often stall viable small wind turbine projects, even if they are financially sound.
The department said the plans would extend permitted development rights for onshore wind, one of the cheapest and fastest energy sources to install, to non-domestic environments.
This will help people protect themselves against volatile fossil fuel markets, increasing energy costs, while also taking strong measures to protect nature and communities, officials said.
These may include a buffer zone between any installed turbines and the edge of the property to protect neighboring properties.
The plans do not cover conservation areas, national landscapes and national parks, sensitive habitats, heritage sites and land for protected buildings.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “By allowing farmers, schools and businesses to build a small wind turbine (no larger than an oak tree) on land without planning permission, we are giving them the tools to reduce their bills and make the best use of their land.
“Amidst uncertain global markets, the only way for households and businesses to have certainty is to invest in clean, domestically grown energy like onshore wind, one of the cheapest and fastest forms of energy to build.”
