The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has agreed on the need for reforming the planning system in England to enable onshore wind farms to go ahead, alongside wider measures to boost renewables and cut bills.

Under the current system there is a de facto ban on new onshore wind in England, where planning rules have led to a 95 per cent drop in the amount of onshore wind capacity being built.

Starmer, meeting with executives from RenewableUK whilst visiting the Bishopthorpe onshore wind farm to the south of Grimsby, discussed the benefits the technology.

There was also a visit to the Ørsted’s offshore wind operations and maintenance centre in Grimsby, where Starmer held a roundtable meeting with onshore and offshore wind industry leaders from BayWa RE, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Ørsted, RWE and RenewableUK.

The Labour leader said: “The solution to the energy crisis is clear – we need to go all out for cheap, clean, homegrown power as fast as we can. From green hydrogen to offshore wind, gigafactories to new nuclear and tidal power, Labour will help these new industries to thrive.” He also added the obligatory but tiring party-political dig.

RenewableUK’s CEO Dan McGrail said: “We can also unlock the benefits of onshore wind in England by reforming the planning system so that this technology is treated like any other. We need a level playing field so that each project is considered on its own merits in areas where it has local community support. Labour’s commitment to ensuring these reforms go ahead is a key step forward - and it’s in line with widespread public support that exists for accelerating the roll-out of renewables”.

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