Our wine expert's pick of the best Portuguese red wines, from £8
I've tasted some excellent supermarket Portuguese offerings this summer – none of that overly extracted, rustic, hot-alcohol feel. One of my choices is just 11%: fresh and vibrant, showing the diversity of reds from this country. My selections also highlight the good wines still found at under £10. With this price category shrinking due to yet more duty and tax rises, it's a pleasure to share quality bottles that are wallet-friendly, too.
Ramos Family Reserva Tinto 2023 (13.5%), £11, Morrisons . £11.00 Shop
Sedoso Douro 2022 (11%), £8.95, Co-op.
This one is lower in alcohol, silky in texture (with cranberry notes) and surprisingly versatile: it even works with salmon and other fish. Pop in the fridge for 20 minutes to enhance its freshness.
£8.95 Shop
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The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘It's still summer,' cry Morrisons shoppers as traditional Christmas treat spotted on shelves ALREADY
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The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
The 20 best ‘squiggly' careers where you don't need a degree and can earn £60,000 a year
FED up of your 9-5 and want a job that teaches you new skills, doesn't require a degree, and best of all offers a decent salary? A "squiggly" career could be exactly what you are looking for - we reveal the top 20 best paying jobs you can apply for NOW and earn up to £60,000 a year. 7 7 A squiggly career is a job where you can move easily between different roles or industries. They are very different from more traditional jobs which require you to have certain degrees or qualifications, and then you climb up the ladder in that one industry. Squiggly careers are in high demand, because workers want the flexibility to be able to shake up their career and do something different, Natalie Ellis from the HR consultancy Rebox HR says. Shockingly, almost half of all the UK's workforce are dreaming of switching their career but don't know which path to take, according to research by HR advisory firm LHH. Squiggly careers are perfect to help with a career switch up, and also provide better job security than more traditional jobs - so if you're in the unfortunate position of losing your job, it's easier to transition to another role. Best of all, many squiggly jobs don't require you to have a degree - which is great for those looking to make a career switch without having to take a pay cut or go back to university. "The focus from the gig economy is shifting once more, and the spotlight is firmly on squiggle jobs," Natalie says. "These roles are an attractive proposition - you can earn competitive salaries without spending years and thousands of pounds on university fees. "Roles such as plumber, electrician and carpenter offer great pay and job security, ranging from £30,000 to £50,000 annually." Jobs site CV-Library has listed the top 20 highest paying squiggly careers which don't require a degree. Some require training - although many provide it on-the-job so you can earn while you learn. Otherwise, you can get the qualifications for some of the jobs through evening courses, so you don't have to give up your salary. You might be able to sign up to a free course to get the skills needed to move into a squiggly career of your choice too - but it depends on where you live and how far you're willing to travel. You can find free courses in your local area via the National Careers Service website. See if your dream job is on our list: 'I DOUBLED my salary by ditching my Army job and switching to a squiggly career' SHANE FOOTE packed in his job in the Army to move into a squiggly career as a HGV driver - and has DOUBLED his salary. Shane, 28, earned £21,500 as an infantryman, but grew tired of the gruelling work schedule. He switched careers and is now a crane operator. He earns between £40,000-£50,000 a year, depending on which jobs he takes on. "The only regret I have is not doing it sooner," he said. "When I was in the Army I was getting 30 hours at home all week, travelling home on Friday night and had Saturday and travelling back Sunday. "While I was there I had no money, was in debt, I was just unhappy. Two years after getting out, I bought my first house, got out of debt, and with my HGV licence I've got an influx of work." Shane got the job after putting a post out on LinkedIn saying he was looking to get out of the Army. He was tagged in posts mentioning Veterans into Logistics, which helps soldiers make a shift out of the armed forces. He took a 10-day course to get his HGV Class 1 Licence and the cost was covered by Veterans into Logistics - he just had to pay for the theory test. "The course was five days of manoeuvres off-road and five days on-road. "But you can get it done earlier (if you're good enough). "Veterans into Logistics runs the course. Part A, off road manoeuvres they have their own tester. "But for the on-road test, you go to get a test done like a DVLA car testing office." "I didn't pay anything to get the licence, all I paid for was the theory test which was about £40 - Veterans into Logistics funded the whole thing. "While I was still serving in the Army, living in the barracks, you always hear the grass is greener doing other work. "It didn't take me long to realise the grass is bright green." People looking to get into HGV driving might also be eligible for free government-funded "Skills Bootcamps" that last 16 weeks. You can apply for these bootcamps directly through training providers. Find providers by searching on the National Careers Service website. Highest paying squiggle careers hiring NOW Train driver - £60,850 The highest-paying role that tops CV-Library's list is a train driver. Someone in this role typically works between 35 to 40 hours a week - and you may need to work evenings, weekends and bank holidays. For that reason, it might not be well-suited to you if you're after more of a 9-5-type role. There are three main avenues into landing a train driver role - as an apprentice, applying directly or working your way up from a junior role like a train conductor. You can move into this type of role if you have experience as a depot driver too. Train driver apprenticeship wages vary, but you can start on around £24,000 a year, rising to £60,000 when fully qualified. While salaries for train conductors are worth as much as £36,000. There are only around 58 train driver roles available out there though, so places will be competitive. Carpenter - £45,527 Next on the list is a carpenter, which is one of the most sought-after trades roles and pays an average wage of £45,527. Your day job will include working with wood, such as making, fixing and installing furniture, flooring, roof rafters and staircases. Someone who is details-oriented, enjoys working with their hands and isn't sold on the idea of a desk job would be well-suited to this job. If you've got experience in cabinetry, furniture making or the construction sector more broadly, you could make the transition to carpentry more easily. You'll typically work 40 to 45 hours a week, and may have to do the occasional weekend or evening shift. The main route into becoming a carpenter is as an apprentice, where you can earn anywhere between £15k and £24k a year at the start of your career. There are just under 3,000 carpentry jobs available on the Adzuna website, so plenty to choose from. It cost the charity £3,147 to put him through the course, but the price of getting this type of licence can vary between £2,500 to £3,500. Plumber - £44,529 Another trade offering big bucks is plumbing work - but you'll have to work up to 45 hours a week. You'll be installing and repairing water and heating systems in homes and commercial buildings. It will suit those who like using their hands and are analytical. The most common route into plumbing is to start out as an apprentice. An apprentice plumber earns around £24,000 a year, rising up to anywhere around £44,000 and upwards as they gain experience. Fancy this type of job? There are 3,816 roles out there to choose from currently. If you've got prior experience working in construction, or generally working a hands-on role, a swap to plumbing could suit you. HGV driver - £41,891 Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers transport goods from one location to another, earning on average £41,891. You become an HGV driver by obtaining a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), which costs between £400 and £500. You get one of these by passing five tests and taking 35 hours of Driver CPC training every five years to stay qualified. Just bear in mind, if you're a social butterfly this type of job might not be for you - it can involve long hours on the road on your own. Many employers will pay bonuses for rewarding good driving. For example, Travis Perkins gives a bonus of up to £2,400 a year if you drive safely. There are 3,591 HGV driver roles to choose from if this type of career matches your skill set. Previous experience working a role driving vans or buses can make it easier to segway into a career as an HGV driver. Estate agent - £40,174 7 Estate agents earn on average around £40,000 a year, and you don't need any formal qualifications to become one. You can boost your chances of getting a job by studying for a university degree like property management - although it's not essential. The job involves assisting clients in buying and selling their homes, guiding them through the process from start to finish. You might also have to find rental properties for someone to move into, or help a landlord source tenants. A typical working week is 35 to 40 hours. Natural extroverts who are persistent, competitive and self-motivated will feel at home in this type of role. Jobs are a bit fewer and far between though - there are just under 1,500 out there to choose from currently. If you've got work experience in sales, customer service or admin, this could help you land a role as an estate agent. Builder - £36,689 A builder coordinates tradespeople and the day-to-day logistics of a construction project. They generally earn an average salary of just over £36,000. They might also have to muck in by bricklaying, plastering or installing insulation. An apprenticeship scheme is one of the most common routes into this role, with starting salaries between £15,000 to £25,000. Love getting your hands dirty and consider yourself well-organised? This might be the role for you, although there are only 233 of the roles going at the minute. Any previous construction experience will put you in good stead if you're looking to get into this type of job. Electrician - £35,500 Electricians earn up to around £35,000 on average when qualified, but even more depending on experience. The job suits someone who enjoys practical work, problem-solving and with a strong attention to detail. Sound like you? Expect to work between 37 and 45 hours a week if you land a job. The most popular way of making it into this profession is via a college course, which can cost up to £7,000. Or, you can take the apprenticeship route, where you'll earn around £24k a year at the start. The role is highly in demand too - there are over 12,000 sparkie jobs out there on the market. If you've worked in construction, maintenance or engineering before, it'll be easier to make the swap to electrician work. What help is available to help me retrain? WANT to switch careers but can't afford to retrain? Luckily there's help out there. You can get an Advanced Learner Loan from your college to help with costs. You will have to pay this back though, and it works like a student loan for those over 19 years old. What you can get isn't based on income, but the cost of the course. You start paying your loan back when you earn £21,000 or more. You can apply for grants and bursaries to help pay for courses and training - and you usually don't have to pay this back. For example, you can get an NHS bursary for medicine, dentistry or healthcare, or a social work bursary for social work. Look at what help is available on the See if you can apply to a Skills Bootcamp, which is run by the government. These are free, flexible courses lasting up to 16 weeks. Courses include HGV driving, health and social care, early years, business and administration, and digital skills like data engineering and software. See if there's a bootcamp running near you here. If you're unemployed, Jobcentre Plus may be able to help provide funding or training as part of a return-to-work plan. Ask your local Job Centre Plus centre here. There are charities who may be able to help with a grant that you don't need to pay back. For example, ABTA Lifeline helps people who worked in the travel industry get back into work with grants to help with the cost of interview clothes, IT, and travel. Some Armed Forces charities offer grants if you are or were serving personnel, such as the Royal British Legion and poppyscotland (for those in Scotland). Find if you could get a charitable grant here. Police officer - £34,512 If you have a strong sense of duty, you might want to consider becoming a police officer. The average salary is around £34,512 a year but you can end up earning up to £48,000 based on experience. There are multiple routes into becoming a police constable, including taking the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP). This is usually a two-year course where you're paid from the start - you could earn as much as £30,000. You'll likely have to put in 37 to 40 hours a week in the role - and expect shift work and anti-social hours. You might have to wait a while to get a job as a police constable though - there are just 20 roles available currently. Working as a security guard or in the military can help with the transition to the police. Recruitment consultant - £32,466 7 Think you've got the gift of the gab? Recruitment might be for you. A recruitment consultant acts as a bridge between job seekers and employers to fill open positions within businesses. You'll earn around £32,000 on average, but can see your income massively boosted depending on experience and your workplace's commission structure. The job, which doesn't require any formal qualifications, can involve long hours and working in a highly-competitive environment though. There are over 6,600 of this type of job on the market currently. Any previous HR, sales or customer service jobs will help if you're looking to apply to this type of role. Chef - £31,000 Got a penchant for good food? Work as a chef might be the squiggly job for you. Experienced chefs can earn up to £40,000 a year but average annual salaries are around £31,000. The job, depending on where you're based, can involve long hours, mostly in the evenings. You can take an apprenticeship or college course to become a chef, or you could start off as a kitchen assistant or trainee commis chef and earn while learning on the job. Kitchen assistants normally start on around the national minimum wage, earning between £17,000 to £25,000 a year. There are plenty of chef roles out there on the market as well - 16,519 to be exact. Any previous catering sector experience will help you make the move into becoming a chef. Sales executive - £30,807 A sales executive focuses on driving sales to a business, either through customers or clients. Someone in this role will earn on average roughly £30,000 a year, with no formal qualifications needed. Like recruitment, sales work can be hard work and can involve long hours depending on your employer. You'll take well to this type of role if you're determined, personable and competitive. There are 12,062 roles to choose from currently too. Like with recruitment, any prior experience in HR or customer service will give you a boost making the swap into sales. IT support technician - £30,016 If you love computers and everything technical that goes into making them work, you might be keen on an IT support technician role. There are various routes into this career, including taking a job as a trainee technician, paying around £24,000, at an organisation and gaining IT support qualifications while you work. You'll usually need some basic IT skills and knowledge to get a job as a trainee though. Once you become a support technician, you will earn around £30,000 on average, but can get up to £36,000 a year. You'll have to respond to customer requests for IT help, find and fix faults and regularly check hardware like printers, projectors and cabling. The standard working week is up to 40 hours long and you can start off as a trainee technician where you'll be paid around £26k a year. You might also benefit from getting industry-standard training through organisations like Microsoft Learn and CompTia A+. On the market, there are currently 1,021 IT support technician roles available. Having worked at a computer repair shop, in customer service or on a help desk will put you in good stead if you want to transition into this job. Retail assistant - £29,902 A retail assistant works in a shop, helping customers with queries, scanning items through tills and tidying and putting out stock. The typical working week is around 37 to 42 hours, with a starting earning around £19,000. This can go up to an average of about £29,000 a year though. If you're chatty, happy to please and like working in a fast-paced environment, this job could be for you. You generally won't need any qualifications either and can just dive straight into a job. According to Adzuna, there are over 4,000 retail assistant jobs on the market currently. Changing into this type of role will be made all the easier if you've got previous customer service experience. Parcel delivery driver - £28,562 7 Parcel delivery drivers collect parcels from warehouses and deliver them to customers, usually in their homes. Average yearly pay isn't too bad either - you can earn around £28,000. It's an ideal squiggle job as you can benefit from flexible working patterns, working typically between 20 and 42 hours a week. You can usually apply directly to a role if you have a valid driving licence, with most companies offering free basic onboarding training so you can start earning fast. Just bear in mind, you might have to pay to cover the costs of running your transportation vehicle. Fancy this type of job? Unfortunately, there are only 245 of them available currently. If you've worked as a taxi driver or in logistics, making the move into parcel delivery driving work could be for you. Healthcare assistant - £28,037 If you're naturally caring and able to stay calm under pressure, you might be keen on becoming a healthcare assistant. Average salaries are £28,000 a year although you could earn more if you go for private work. You'll usually work 37 to 40 hours a week and may have to do evenings, weekends and bank holiday shifts. One of the more common routes into becoming a healthcare assistant is via an apprenticeship, where you'll usually be paid just over the minimum wage (£12.21 an hour for those aged 21 and over) to start off with. There are plenty of jobs to be filled as well, with 11,113 roles available. Anyone who has worked in a pharmacy, in social work or has cared for someone before could be well-suited to make the swap into a career as a healthcare assistant. Administrator - £27,016 If you've got a basic set of IT skills, strong attention to detail and are a good communicator, you might want to consider becoming an administrator. The average pay for one is around £27,000 a year, but salaries can vary depending on the type of role. For example, pensions administrators earn around £23k - £38k a year while arts administrators earn up to £32k a year. Or, a basic admin assistant will start on an annual salary of around £21,000 a year. One of the easiest ways into becoming an admin assistant is through a recruitment agency - this can then lead to a permanent job. Employers are on the hunt for administrators as well - there are more than 15,000 roles on the market. Anyone with office experience will find it easier transferring into administration work. Warehouse operative - £26,039 This job involves a lot of physical labour and some heavy lifting, but you can pretty much start earning from the off without too much training. Average salaries are around £26,000 a year, however pay goes up to as much as £30,000 dependant on experience. You could clock up to 48 hours a week though so bear that in mind if you're after something not so demanding. On the market, there are currently 14,810 warehouse operative roles going. If you've got experience working a physical job, like in a depot or in construction, becoming a warehouse operative will be all the easier. Construction labourer - £25,624 7 A labourer digs trenches, mixes mortar and concrete and operates construction equipment. Most of the time, you can learn on the job, with wages averaging out at around £25,000 a year. A typical working week is around 40 hours long, but you may have to work evenings and weekends, depending on the job. Someone who doesn't mind getting dirty and enjoys manual labour would be well-suited to this type of job. There doesn't appear to be a major demand for this type of role currently though - just 251 jobs are going. Any experience working a physical labour job, even gardening, will help you make the swap into the construction industry. Hairdresser/Barber - £24,500 Fancy yourself as the next Vidal Sassoon? You might be able to start work as a trainee hairdresser or barber and learn on the job, earning around £15,000 a year. Your employer would expect you to take a part-time course to get qualifications though, either at college or in their own training school. You may also be able to work freelance and rent space in a salon or barbershop, though you'll usually have to fork out for your own equipment. A typical working week is around 37 to 40 hours long and it goes without saying, but may have to work evening or weekend shifts. But an experienced hairdresser can earn up to £30,000 a year. There are currently 777 hairdresser roles on the market. If you have ever worked as a nail technician, makeup artist or in a customer-facing position, making the move into a hairdressing career might be for you. Barista - £21,500 Caffeine addict? You can get a job as a barista almost fuss free and without a formal qualification. One of the easiest routes to a job is by applying directly. When you start, most bosses will put you through barista training as part of your employment. Having experience in customer service, retail sales or catering may give you a better chance of landing a job in the first place though. Experienced baristas, who can work anywhere between 40 and 42 hours, earn on average £21,500 a year. Currently on the market, there are just over 10,000 barista roles going. Anyone who has worked in a customer-facing role before should be able to transition to barista work without fuss. How to make the perfect CV and smash your job interview JAMES Neave, head of data science at Adzuna, reveals his top tips... Showcase your wins, not your duties Your CVs should prove to your future employer how you can ace the role, instead of what you did in the past. Focus on achievements, results, and measurable impact. Use numbers and percentages wherever possible e.g. Replace 'managed all social media platforms' with 'Grew social media followers by 50% in 3 months'. Practice, don't wing it Interview nerves are normal, even the most charismatic person needs some degree of preparation because jobs might be alike, but not identical. Utilise AI tools like ChatGPT as a starting point to research the company, industry trends and common questions. Content is king, but don't forget about strategy Great CV and interview answers matter, so does strategy. This could mean being among the first to apply or running social media background checks on your interviewers. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@
Telegraph
35 minutes ago
- Telegraph
How to tell if it's worth getting a wind turbine in your garden
Domestic heat pump uptake surged in the past year, while solar panels – despite a slight slump – are still the runaway leader for renewable energy installations. Homeowner appetite for wind power, however, is down in the doldrums. This is despite Ed Miliband's mass expansion plan for Britain's onshore wind infrastructure, which could involve relaxing planning laws for home installations. The industry's accreditation body, the MCS Foundation, wants homeowners and farmers to be given the right to install 30m turbines without the need for planning permission. But with high installation costs and limited output, is wind power a financially sound investment for your home? Telegraph Money delves into the details. Types of domestic wind turbines Is there a demand for domestic wind turbines? Other costs and upkeep When will you break even? How to boost the money-making potential Do I need planning permission? How much wind power do you need? Could height restrictions change? Types of domestic wind turbines There are two types of turbines that can be installed at domestic properties, with costs varying considerably. They are nowhere near the size of commercial turbines you see out at sea or in clusters on land. Roof-mounted turbine Installed on top of the property's roof or on the gable end, this type of turbine has the advantage of height. However, the top of the turbine cannot be more than 15m off the ground. They are smaller than standalone turbines, so the power is limited. Expect to generate a maximum of two kilowatts (kW) of electricity a day, against the average UK home usage of 8kWh. You'll therefore need to top up your energy from your existing grid supplier. Costs range from around £1,500 to £3,000. Pole-mounted turbine Free-standing turbines work best in a large, open place that's exposed to the wind. They can generate around 6kW of electricity. Those installed via permitted development rights (more on this later) cannot exceed 11.1m in height, but others granted with planning permission can be larger. Costs vary widely depending on the size. For a 1.5kWh turbine, the typical cost is between £7,000 and £10,000. For a 5kW free-standing model, £25,000 is the ballpark figure, while a large 15kW machine will set you back around £70,000. Is there a demand for domestic wind turbines? Since a de facto ban on onshore wind was lifted by Labour a year ago, only a handful of applications for domestic turbines have been submitted. A revolution in small-scale onshore wind has failed to materialise, and experts doubt it will ever become reality. Oxford University's Prof Jan Rosenow, who has advised Ofgem, said: 'Small wind turbines in gardens rarely make sense because of poor wind conditions, low output, high costs, noise, maintenance needs, and better alternatives like solar. 'They're more of a novelty or a statement piece than a practical energy solution for most homeowners.' Ryse Energy, a manufacturer, said more than half of its new enquiries are from customers looking to combine wind with an existing solar panel system at their home to provide year-round energy security (solar predominantly in the summer, and wind in the winter). Other costs and upkeep Aside from the purchase, it also costs to have the turbine installed at your property. Figures from Checkatrade show the price tags can be hefty. The average installation cost for a roof-mounted wind turbine is £1,000, while installing a free-standing wind turbine – where foundations are required – can jump upwards of £5,000. You will need to undertake maintenance checks every few years, at a cost of around £200. The inverter may also need to be replaced during the turbine's lifespan. For a typical 5-6kW domestic turbine, this will cost around £1,000. Additionally, batteries for off-grid energy storage need to be replaced around every five to 10 years. This can also be a four-figure bill. When will you break even? With the purchase being a significant outlay, it will likely take more than a decade to recoup the initial investment. According to Greenmatch, a 1.5kW turbine costing £7,000 will take 14.5 years to break even. A medium-power 5kW turbine will take 18 years, while the large 15kW machine will break even in 15 years. Having recouped your money, you can then enjoy generating electricity essentially free of charge. However, this will most likely be a short-lived period as turbines typically have a lifespan of 20 years before they need replacing. Maximilian Schwerdtfeger, of adviser group The Eco Experts, said: 'For most consumers, a roof-mounted domestic wind turbine on its own will generate between 200kW and 1,000kW of energy a year, which is not enough to make a significant dent in their bills. 'For example, the average three-bed house uses about 2,700kWh of electricity a year. 'What it can do, however, is generate electricity that you can store in a battery to be either used later or exported back to the grid. 'The largest stand-alone wind turbines are only really suited for farms or properties with a lot of land, although these could potentially generate enough energy to cut your bills down to nothing.' How to boost the money-making potential To boost revenue, you can sell excess energy – if you have any – back to the grid. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme is a power-selling scheme introduced in 2020 by the Government. This means you get paid for every unit of electricity you feed back to the grid. Your home will need an export meter and a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificate. It will also likely need to have a smart meter capable of providing half-hourly export readings. Providers have to buy everything you sell, but they can set the price themselves and it does vary, so you should look into which one is best for you. The provider you buy your grid power from may offer you a better export deal. For example, Octopus buys power for 15p/kWh for existing customers and 4.1p for new customers. As most small-scale domestic wind turbines will not generate enough power to leave you with excess electricity, the perks of this scheme are limited. SEG is better suited for homeowners with solar panels. Last year, only 19 new turbines were hooked up to the SEG scheme, compared to 283,597 solar installations. The average domestic turbine supplying power back to the grid had a capacity of 50.4kW, with a total of £37,851 paid to homeowners in return for the excess power. The two properties with turbines less than or equal to 4kW capacity received an average of just £17 from the SEG scheme last year. Meanwhile, the 12 properties with turbines between 10kW and 50kW in power received average payments of £2,029 for their excess electricity. How much wind power do you need? Typically, a wind speed of six meters per second is the minimum average speed for a domestic wind turbine to be considered viable. It is the equivalent of a 13mph wind, so with the average UK wind speed coming in at around 9mph last year, the feasibility for a residential turbine in most areas is low. That's without bringing nearby obstructions into the equation, such as trees and buildings, which further hamper turbine wind speeds. Across the UK, renewable wind generation fell by 13pc in the first three months of 2025 due to near record low wind speeds. Do I need planning permission? Rules vary across British nations, with Wales and Northern Ireland having the tightest planning permission laws for turbines. In England, permitted development rights allow a wind turbine to be mounted on to a detached house or an outbuilding without planning permission, if these criteria are met: You don't already have an air source heat pump at the property No part of the turbine, including the blades, protrudes more than 3m above the highest part of the roof, excluding the chimney, or be more than 15m off the ground Blades are at least 5m above ground level, and no part of the turbine is within 5m from the site boundary It is not on land designated as a Scheduled Monument or within the curtilage of a listed building, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an area designated under s41(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, the Norfolk Broads or a World Heritage Site The turbine complies with MCS standards or equivalent. Similar rules apply for stand-alone wind turbines, but these can be installed via permitted development rights within the garden of any house or block of flats. The main difference is the highest part of the turbine must not exceed 11.1m in height. Could height restrictions change? The 11.1m rule is what MCS wants the Government to change by increasing the limit to 30m – which is the height of the Christ Redeemer statue and 1.5 times the height of the Angel of the North. MCS argued that permitted development rights already allow for mobile phone masts to reach 30m in height in non-protected areas and up to 25m in protected areas. Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, said his party would 'not tolerate' the introduction of 30m domestic turbines. He said: 'Allowing the tripling of wind turbine heights in residential areas is outrageous. This relentless net zero push will trash property values and turn our towns and villages into industrial eyesores.' The National Farmers Union has backed calls for tweaks to planning law. Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, said a change 'would cut unnecessary red tape' and allow farmers to 'make the most of clean energy opportunities'. 'Many farmers already generate renewable energy on-site, but access to a reliable power source remains a barrier,' he said. The Government has signalled that height restrictions could be altered in the future. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said evolutions in onshore wind turbine technology and increased demand for small-scale onshore wind turbines 'may allow for an update' to planning laws last reviewed in 2011. A public consultation on loosening the rules will be launched by the end of the year.
