Go-ahead for solar panels without planning permission

Planning minister Caroline Flint, said that from 6 April, all homeowners would be able to install such equipment without the need for planning permission, as long as there was "clearly no impact on others".

Size limitations had been set to reduce any impact on neighbours. Solar panels attached to the building must not protrude more than 200 millimetres from the roof slope, and stand alone panels must not exceed four metres above ground level or more than five metres from the boundary.

Ms Flint added that the Government would legislate later in the year to allow free-standing and building-mounted wind turbines on detached homes, and air source heat pumps to be installed without planning permission. The move had been delayed because the Government was awaiting clearance from the European Commission, she said.

In addition, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said it was continuing to look into ways in which planning rules could be relaxed to make it easier for businesses to install solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy systems.

It has been estimated that 30% to 40% of the UK's electricity could be met by installing microgeneration equipment to all types of building by 2050. Commercial buildings currently account for around 18% of carbon emissions, according to the Government.

'Zero carbon'

As part of his budget speech, Chancellor Alistair Darling announced new targets to make all new non-domestic buildings "zero-carbon" by 2019.

The pledge comes on top of the existing goal for all homes to have no net carbon emission by 2016, and Mr Darling said it could save 75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 30 years. The Government is also aiming for all new public sector buildings to be zero-carbon by 2018.

So called "smart meters" - which provide information on how energy is used in properties - will also be rolled out to medium and large companies over the next five years in a bid to encourage energy saving, said the Chancellor.

The UK Green Building Council welcomed the zero-carbon targets on new non-domestic properties, but said the UK was "running out of time" to deal with emissions from existing building stock.

The council's chief executive Paul King said energy performance certificates, stamp duty rebates, council tax rebates, business rate relief and cuts to VAT for refurbishment could all be used as incentives for "radical improvements" in energy efficiency, but that the Chancellor had failed to take them up.