Environmental and planning consultancy Entec has been appointed to draw up new planning rules that will encourage the use of renewables in buildings.

At present businesses must go through the planning system when, for example, they want to install a solar panel or a small wind turbine. A planning application can cost about £1,500 and take anywhere between eight and 16 weeks to be considered by councils, with no guarantee it will be approved.

Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears has asked Entec to investigate how renewable energy equipment can be included as 'permitted developments', which means the changes can be made without the need for specific planning permission as long as there is clearly no impact on others or the local environment. The research will also consider what safeguards will need to be in place for circumstances where the benefit of the technology is clearly questionable and outweighed by its impact on the local environment.

Source

Building Sustainable Design