Micro-renewables to get planning boost

Planning restrictions are set to be relaxed on micro-renewable energy generation technologies, as the UK Government seeks to boost uptake in the sector and further the effort against climate change. The proposed regulation changes, which come from recommendations in a new report by the Householder Development Consents Review Steering Group, will cover small-scale developments such as residential solar panels and small wind turbines.

The need for planning applications for the developments would be removed under the new rules, creating a potentially huge market for micro-generation. Detailed proposals on the issue will be published in the autumn, prior to any legislative changes.

"It is absurd that you should be able to put a satellite dish up on your house but should have to wrestle with the planning process for small scale micro-generation which is no more obtrusive and can have a real impact on tackling climate change,” said Yvette Cooper, Housing and Planning Minister.

“We want far more micro-generation to be treated as permitted development and we also should be able to simplify the system for small developments such as extensions."