The current English planning system is not ‘fit for purpose’ to build a net zero world, restore nature or meet housing need, according to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
The report finds that it would take 4,700 years for England to reach the onshore wind capacity called for by government advisers, at the current rate of development. Without this the UK will fail to become fully energy secure in a net-zero world.
Progress in England was stalled in 2015 when planning laws were changed to make it more difficult to gain permission for new onshore wind turbines – in what was effectively a ban.
Since then only 17 new onshore wind farms have been approved, generating just 6.7 megawatts of power - equivalent to just 0.02 per cent of the on-shore total needed in England based on National Grid estimates. The IPPR report calls for restrictions on onshore wind and solar power to be reduced and for local authorities to be compelled to identify land suitable for onshore wind and solar generation.
The report calls for a complete reset of the English planning system to ensure that many more houses are built, while also moving faster to meet net zero targets. That will mean linking decisions on new home building into plans for low-carbon transport networks, it says. Between them, housing and transport account for over 40 per cent of total emissions, but since 1990 emissions from both sectors have barely declined.
The report also sheds fresh light on the critical failures of the current system. These include the lack of clear rules for developers and local authorities on when planning permission should be granted, leading to uncertainty and speculative buying of land.
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Posted On: 07/06/2023