A breath of fresh air

Rising fuel prices, Middle East unrest, oil spills in the Mexican Gulf and recent events in Japan are all clear indications that something drastic has to happen with energy production and supply.

The introduction of Feed in Tariffs means that renewable energy now makes financial sense as well as environmental sense. Electricity production on a domestic or business scale can be easily achieved with a small wind turbine or solar photovoltaic panels. But there is a drawback: any worthwhile wind turbine installation and many solar photovoltaic installations will require planning permission.

Karine Swanson, head of planning at Balfours Shrewsbury office, says: “Balfours has seen a massive surge of interest in generating electricity from the use of wind turbines and solar photovoltaics.

“We are lucky enough to have the expert services of Richard Bayliss, who has obtained planning consents for wind turbines all over the country, from Penzance to Carlisle and is currently dealing with solar photovoltaic installations that would power over 200 houses. If you are considering how you might incorporate renewable energy into your development, I would recommend an initial chat with Richard, who can be contacted on 01743 241181.”