Applications for new onshore wind farms in England reached their highest annual level in a decade, according to an analysis of UK government data published by The Guardian on Sunday. About 45 proposals entered the planning system in the year to March 2026, marking a sharp revival after the government removed planning restrictions that had largely halted new English projects.
The analysis drew on the Renewable Energy Planning Database, which tracks projects from application through construction and operation. It found that proposed onshore wind capacity entering planning more than tripled after the Labour government lifted the de facto ban shortly after taking office in 2024. The 12-month rolling rate rose from about 9 megawatts a month before the policy change to roughly 36 MW a month by early 2026.
The recovery is larger compared with the low point before September 2023, when applications averaged about 1 MW a month. Since the restrictions ended, developers have proposed 438 MW in England, compared with 490 MW in Wales and 5,280 MW in Scotland. The figures show that activity has returned to England but remains far below the scale of the Scottish pipeline.
English proposals also tend to be smaller. The average project submitted since the policy reversal has two turbines and 8 MW of capacity, while the average Scottish proposal has nine turbines and 59 MW. Only one English project above 100 MW has entered planning during that period, compared with 18 in Scotland. The 20 MW Imerys project near St Austell in Cornwall is the largest English onshore wind farm to secure a government subsidy since the restrictions ended.
A UK government spokesperson said the former policy had constrained a technology that could improve energy security, support growth and reduce bills. The government pointed to its support for the largest subsidised English onshore project in a decade and new permission for farms and factories to install one small turbine without a full planning application. These changes form part of a wider attempt to accelerate renewable electricity development.
RenewableUK chief executive Tara Singh said onshore wind is among the cheapest new electricity sources and can be built relatively quickly, reducing exposure to volatile gas prices. The trade group estimates that the domestic onshore wind supply chain could add as much as £56 billion to the economy by 2050, while about 70% of developers' life-cycle spending occurs in the UK. The rise in applications is an early planning indicator; projects must still obtain approval, financing and grid connections before generating power.
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