Liz Truss joins Tory rebels aiming to overturn onshore wind ban

Sir Alok Sharma, the former Cop26 president, on Wednesday formally proposed an amendment to the Government’s Energy Bill, which is due to return to the Commons after the summer recess.

It comes after Sam Richards, the head of Britain Remade, told The Yorkshire Post that ministers may not be able to block such a rebellion in order to delay the process.

His amendment would both end the effective ban on new onshore wind farms and require the Government to show developers how they can demonstrate that local communities support their plans, and how they can provide financial benefits to those communities.

The plan would also prohibit appeals against a decision by a local council to refuse planning permission for a wind farm to ensure that local wishes are respected.

Sir Alok said: “Last autumn the Government committed to change the planning rules by the end of April this year to overturn the de facto ban on onshore wind. Unfortunately, this has not happened.

“This amendment will help to deliver on the Government’s own promise to unlock investment in one of the cheapest forms of energy. Ultimately this will bring down household bills and improve our energy security.”

The amendment has been signed by more than 20 backbench Conservatives, including Ms Truss and several former ministers.

Other signatories include former party chairman Sir Jake Berry, former chief whip Wendy Morton, Wales Committee chairman Stephen Crabb and former levelling up secretary Sir Simon Clarke.

The current rules, introduced under David Cameron in 2015, require councils to draw up detailed plans showing all the areas suitable for onshore wind development before new wind farms can go ahead, and also mean that proposals can be blocked even if just a single person objects to them.