ENVIORNMENT campaign group Greenpeace has condemned a government announcement that a de facto ban on new onshore windfarms will not be reviewed until autumn.

The postponement was announced by Environment Secretary Michael Gove. The review was due in April this year.

Greenpeace UK policy director Dr Doug Parr said: “Over the last eight years, the Conservative ban on onshore wind has practically decimated the cheapest source of homegrown energy in the UK, wasting job opportunities and adding £4.5 billion to the nation’s energy bills.

“Only two onshore wind turbines were built in England last year – over 500 in Germany.

“After promising to review this untenable policy by April, ministers have just decided to sit on it for a few more months.

“We can’t afford to waste any more time to unlock vital solutions that can cut both carbon emissions and energy bills.”

He said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should “stop dithering” and should “give this country the clean, affordable energy it deserves.”