Protect rural Wales from unpopular wind farms

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Dr. Jonathan F Dean, director of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, urged the UK government to transfer control of the Crown Estate to the Welsh government to prevent an overconcentration of onshore renewable energy projects in rural Wales. Without this devolution, Wales risks increased pressure on its landscapes from turbines and solar farms, as it lacks authority to develop its substantial offshore wind resources, unlike Scotland.

A leading advocate for rural Wales has called on the UK government to devolve control over the Crown Estate to the Welsh government, warning that without such a move, rural areas may become crowded with large-scale renewable energy projects that are unpopular locally. Dr. Jonathan F Dean, director of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, made the remarks in response to ongoing debates over energy planning and devolution.

Dr. Dean highlighted that over half of Wales’s renewable energy potential lies offshore, where the Welsh government currently has no planning authority. He argued that continued opposition from Stephen Kinnock, the Welsh Secretary, and Westminster to devolving Crown Estate powers will limit Wales’s ability to develop offshore wind capacity. This restriction, in turn, forces the country to rely heavily on onshore wind turbines and solar farms to meet renewable energy targets.

“Rural Wales faces the prospect of being filled with enormous turbines and solar installations,” Dr. Dean said, emphasizing that these developments are often unpopular with local communities. He contrasted Wales’s situation with that of Scotland, which already holds greater devolved powers and can deploy the majority of its renewable generating capacity offshore, thereby reducing pressures on rural land.

The current arrangement has led to concerns that Welsh landscapes may be disproportionately affected as onshore developments become the primary means to increase renewable energy output. Advocates like Dr. Dean argue that granting Wales control over the Crown Estate offshore would enable more strategic planning of wind energy projects at sea, aligning with both environmental goals and community preferences.

While the UK government has maintained that existing powers for renewable energy development are sufficient, Welsh officials and campaigners continue to press for greater autonomy in offshore energy planning. They contend that such a shift would support a more balanced and locally sensitive approach to Wales’s renewable energy transition.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.