The Guardian reports that Rishi Sunak has signalled the end of a moratorium on new onshore wind projects in an attempt to head off a row with Tory MPs

The prime minister and the business secretary, Grant Shapps, reached a deal on Tuesday afternoon that will pave the way for communities to be able to authorise such energy developments without unanimous support.

It came after the former levelling up Secretary Simon Clarke tabled an amendment to the levelling up bill that would have ended a ban on new onshore windfarms.

It was endorsed by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, as well as the former chief whip Wendy Morton.

The government will now set up a consultation on scrapping the moratorium on new windfarms later this month, to run until March 2023, with the National Planning Policy Framework updated to reflect the outcome by the end of April 2023.

Over the summer, Sunak had pledged during his ill-fated Tory leadership campaign to scrap plans to relax the ban on onshore windfarms in England.

Shapps has recently spoken out against the building of wind turbines, and was criticised for claiming some were now “so big” they could not be constructed on land.

He did add that onshore wind was part of the UK’s “critical mix” of energy.

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The Guardian - Sunak set to end ban on new onshore windfarms in face of Tory rebellion