Clause 4
Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Bill
3:30 pm
Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey, Conservative)
This is becoming rather hair-raising. Clause 4 and new clause 3 concern microgeneration on non-domestic land. The original Bill referred specifically to considerations about permitted development orders and permitted development rights in relation to agricultural land. This new clause refers to non-domestic land, which includes every piece of land that is not within the curtilage of what is inelegantly called a “dwelling house”. That includes agricultural land and therefore addresses the issue originally raised by organisations such as the Nation Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association. The clause also allows sufficient flexibility for objections to be taken into account through consultation while stopping short of conferring an absolute duty to consult. I welcome the Minister’s comments on that approach.
Amendment (a) was tabled by the hon. Member for Cheltenham. I think he said during an earlier debate that he did not intend to press this, and my view is that it is unnecessary as the provisions are included in new clause 3(5)(a). It is good news to hear that the Government are already consulting on these matters—or, if not already, are very shortly to do so. I think the Liberal Democrat amendment is unnecessary for those reasons and I hope that they withdraw it.