The British Government has pledged to relax restrictions on the construction of new onshore wind farms in England. According to BBC News, a rule requiring new turbines to be built on pre-designated land will be rewritten.

New wind farms would still be subject to local approval, but this mechanism was unclear as of early December. A wider consultation was expected to be published in April 2023 that would provide further details.

Under current planning rules, companies in England can only apply to build onshore wind turbines on land specifically identified for development in the land-use plans drawn up by local councils. The guidance, introduced under former PM David Cameron in 2015, led to a sharp decline in the number of sites granted approval.