A GOVERNMENT Minister has pledged to take up a campaign being led by a Cumbrian renewable energy company.

Greg Barker, the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, has vowed to discuss the growing chaos surrounding the installation of solar panels with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

His intervention follows lobbying by David Hunt, director of Eco Environments, which has an office in Penrith, supported by shadow energy ministers Huw Irranca-Davies and Luciana Berger.

The campaign was triggered after a number of local councils, including Eden District Council and West Lancashire Council, told homeowners they needed to seek permission before having solar panels installed.

This is despite government guidance that planning permission is not required unless someone lives in a listed building or conservation area, and building regulations are not needed as long as the homeowner uses a contractor under the Government’s Competent Person Scheme.

David Hunt, whose company has six offices across the UK, said: “We are delighted that both a government minister and two shadow ministers have taken up our campaign which seeks to bring an end to attempts by councils to make life difficult for homeowners trying to embrace renewable energy solutions.

“Since we launched our campaign a few weeks ago we have heard about horror stories across the UK which is causing serious damage to the Government’s stated agenda of encouraging people to look seriously at renewable energy options for their homes.

“This will continue to be the case as long as councils are putting road-blocks in the way by telling homeowners they need planning permission, building regulations and certificates of lawfulness and charging them for the pleasure.

“We look forward to hearing the response from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

“The Government should publish a simple, definitive guide for councils to follow which make it clear that there is no room for local authorities to make up their own rules and regulations. Perhaps then we will finally see a 100 per cent. consistent approach towards renewable energy schemes across the country.”

RULES

Mr. Barker said in a letter to his two Labour shadow ministers: “I agree it is important that local councils are fully aware of the planning rules relating to solar panels.

“I am happy to raise this matter with my colleagues at the DCLG to explore options for making sure these rules are clearly understood by councils and continue to work with them on removing barriers to the take up of microgeneration technologies.”

Mr. Irranca-Davies said: “I urge the Government to work with industry to cut out any unnecessary barriers and confusion over planning and building regulations.”

Eden Council leader Gordon Nicolson said: “We completely refute the allegations that Eden District Council is acting against the interests of residents, adopting an anti-renewable stance and is attempting to earn additional income.

“This matter first came to my attention three weeks ago. I initiated a thorough enquiry into the matter. The Government’s intentions are clear. They want residents to be able to install solar panels without planning consent or building control approvals provided the work is done by competent installers and there are no adverse planning considerations, for example visual impact in conservation areas. These arrangements make sense and we fully support them.

“However, there is no definitive list of approved and competent installers. We are awaiting confirmation from government about this. In the meantime we believe that our stance in requiring building control approval is in the interest of residents.

“This ensures that installations meet all the requirements and that roofs are structurally sound. The possibility of future damage arising from bad workmanship or unsuitable structures is therefore minimised. The cost of building control approval at around £77 should be seen against the potential cost of remedial work if things go wrong.

“We believe that contractors should be supporting our efforts to secure a proper register of approved and competent installers who provide appropriate indemnities and guarantees against future problems. We urge them to join with us in this matter. We will change our approach when we have an appropriate register.”