Greenshop Group

The microgeneration industry today welcomed new Government legislation which will slash planning red tape to make it easier for people to install microgeneration technology. From 6 April 2008 microgeneration technologies will become permitted development which means householders will be able to take up microgeneration, within sensible limits, without having to apply for planning permission.

Dave Sowden, Chief Executive of the Micropower Council said: “Today is a landmark in removing red tape for the microgeneration sector. From 6 April, most householders in England will be able to install microgeneration technologies without the constraints that have so far acted as a significant brake on the industry’s growth. The industry fully supports this important move by the Government, and welcomes its clear and unambiguous promise to Parliament to extending similar freedom to micro-wind and air source heat pumps as soon as a minor, routine, legal hurdle has been cleared”.

Notes to Editors

• The Micropower Council is the coordinated voice of the UK microgeneration industry and the only body representing the full cross-section of micropower technologies.
• See the Communities and Local Government Release – ‘Solar power homes get the go-ahead for April start'
• The Amendment to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (England) Order 1995 for the Installation of Domestic Microgeneration Equipment was laid before Parliament by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Iain Wright. In an accompanying statement to Parliament, the government also commits to extending similar freedom to micro-wind and air source heat pumps in due course, the only reason not to at this stage being a final, routine, legal hurdle. (Ministerial Statement and SI attached)
• This move is the result of over three years of industry campaigning, led by the Micropower Council, the prime mover behind the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006. Section 10 of this Act required the government to review the system of permitted development with a view to facilitating the greater uptake of microgeneration, form a view on necessary changes, and implement those changes. Today’s announcement marks the successful outcome of this campaign.
• The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act is one of the largest private members bills ever, sponsored by Labour backbencher Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith. The section of the Act on permitted development was an amendment to the bill taken from another private members bill that did not progress through parliament sponsored by Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test.
• The Act also contains a wide range of other measures to encourage the greater uptake of microgeneration.

Also from The Solar Trade Association - Solar Thermal Collectors become Permitted Development on 6th April

(that is, no planning permission is required if the property is not a listed building or is not in a conservation area).

The STA Secretariat would like to thank all the membership who responded to our call for information on "above roof" collector height. The STA and Micropower Council took forward the response to this membership consultation to the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Dept, and as a result, CLG has accepted 200 mm rather than 150 mm as the above roof height. This means that the vast majority of solar systems sold and installed by STA members will now qualify, as from 6th April 2008, for permitted development with no extra planning permission required. This is a very significant lobbying success. If CLG had accepted only 150 mm, only about 50% of solar collectors would have been included as permitted development. We therefore want to thank you all - very sincerely. It really demonstrates how team work can pay off.