Planning offices 'need more training to implement environmental legislation'

Planning offices require more training and awareness to be able to meet targets set by environmental legislation, it has been said.

Source Renewable has commented that while the government's feed-in-tariffs (FITs) scheme is a good idea as it encourages more people and businesses to fit energy-efficient measures in properties, it needs to be given more attention to have its full impact.

The FITs were introduced in April 2010 and provide incentives for people to invest in low-carbon electricity generation.

Director of the group Laurie Eve stated that a lot of planning offices are not yet familiar with the new systems such as domestic roof installations.

Therefore, he noted, it "can be quite an awkward process, which does put off quite a few customers from having it done".

Mr Eve added that planning offices need to have better education over the procedures, saying: "The process could be streamlined and made a lot simpler."

His comments come after green finance provider Naturesave Insurance launched a Household Renewable Energy policy to protect renewable energy installations as part of homeowners' cover, as a result of the increasing number of energy-efficient measures being introduced in domestic properties.

Posted by Joseph Hutton