THE Government has come under fire for its decision to end subsidies to new onshore wind farms a year earlier than expected.

The closure of the Renewables Obligation to new onshore wind generating stations will end on April 1, 2016. Any turbines that do not now have planning consent and grid connection offers cannot proceed.

Meurig Raymond, NFU president, criticised the lack of consultation and failure to distinguish between large wind farms and single on-farm turbines.

He said: "The NFU would like to see a distinction made between ‘farm wind’ and ‘wind farms’, in order to enable our members to continue diversifying and supporting their businesses with locally generated renewable energy."

Richard Miller, head of agriculture at Burnetts, Cumbrian-based solicitors, described the decision as disastrous.

He said: "From a farming point of view, the income from wind turbine projects has meant that many farming businesses have been safeguarded because the money has been used to diversify or expand farming operations.

"These schemes have also provided stable income for farmers who operate in an increasingly volatile commodities market."

Victoria Lancaster, renewable and energy advisor at Carlisle and Durham based H&H Land and Property, said the industry was in a state of shock following the announcement that turbines that do not have planning permission could no longer proceed.

She said: "Turbines that are stuck in the planning appeal system are being robbed of the opportunity to develop their project, many of which have taken years to get this far and have cost them thousands of pounds along the way.

"The planning inspectorate has huge delays in the processing of wind turbine applications which have clearly put those developers and landowners in appeal at a huge disadvantage."

Shirley Mathieson, head of renewables at Saffrey Champness, chartered accountants, said the early closure of the subsidy, and the decision to give local communities the final say over whether onshore wind projects could go ahead, would throw the sector into complete disarray.

She said: "Some developments may already have spent in the region of £1m on the process, and have now, in minutes, had the rug pulled from under them.

"This change will involve the re-writing of budgets and forecasts for those who would have accrued for example rental income from planned developments, including communities, and farmers and landowners, who may also have a stake in such projects."

She said allowing local communities the final say was "bizarre" when in other instances – fracking for example – their views will only be considered through the normal planning process.