A decade-high surge in onshore wind applications in England is evidence that developers are returning to the market. However, the quality and viability of sites being brought forward will be critical to turning renewed interest into deliverable projects warns Hans-Georg von Lewinski, of Caeli UK.
Hans-Georg von Lewinski, Managing Director at Cae. Image Credit: Caeli Wind GmbH
Government data shows 45 applications for onshore wind projects were submitted in England in the year to March 2026, the highest annual number for a decade.
The increase follows the 2024 removal of the de facto restrictions on new onshore wind development in England and marks a significant change after years of limited activity.
Separate figures, published by Renewable UK at the end of August, reinforce the scale of the shift. During 2025, applications for 233 MW of onshore wind capacity was submitted into England's planning system. This exceeded the 188 MW submitted across the entire nine years from the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2024.
Hans-Georg von Lewinski, Managing Director of Caeli, the specialist advisor on onshore wind farm locations, says the figures show the market responding to the changed political landscape for onshore wind.
“The political context has changed and now we are seeing the market respond to this change,” he says.
“There is strong interest from developers and opportunities are being confidently pursued. After years of very limited activity in England, the increase in applications is a good indication that there is a growing market for onshore wind.
But as applications increase, the quality of the sites being brought forward becomes even more important. Hans-Georg says the renewed activity puts greater emphasis on identifying viable opportunities at an early stage, particularly when planning and access to the electricity grid remain critical considerations for new projects.
“The increase in applications is encouraging, but volume alone isn't the measure of success,” he stresses. “The challenge is identifying the strongest opportunities and understanding the planning process, the grid implications and many other constraints around a site as early as possible.
“There is a window of opportunity for onshore wind in England. We now need to make sure that the sites being brought forward are the right ones.”
Caeli identifies and assesses potential onshore wind sites before bringing qualified opportunities to developers through its digital marketplace. Sites are prepared through a structured review of technical, planning and commercial parameters and presented to qualified developers on a comparable basis.
Hans-Georg adds: “The rise in applications shows that developers are responding to new opportunities. The focus now has to be on quality and credibility of sites so they can progress as effectively as possible.”