Devon CPRE is putting its weight behind a Private Member’s Bill to make it compulsory for developers to put solar panels on the rooftops of new build housing, and it’s urging people in the South West to take action to ensure their MP helps get the legislation through Parliament.
MP Max Wilkinson has instigated the New Homes (Solar Generation) Bill, nicknamed the Sunshine Bill, which is scheduled for its second reading on Friday, January 17. As many MPs as possible need to vote YES to make sure it progresses to the next stage.
The Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (Devon CPRE) and the national charity CPRE have long campaigned for legislation to unlock the potential of rooftop solar and spare our countryside from being swallowed up by field after field of glass panels. There is widespread public support for solar to be sited on rooftops, specifically at the point of construction.
Now the charity is urging Devonians to help save their countryside and cut their energy costs by persuading their constituency MP to get on board with the Bill. It’s critical that local MPs turn up to the debate on 17 January to vote in favour of the Bill and drive it forward to the next stage in the House of Commons. Taking action couldn’t be easier, simply follow this link and share it with as many people as possible: https://takeaction.cpre.org.uk/page/162463/action/1
Devon CPRE chairman Steve Crowther says: “The Sunshine Bill could be a game changer by finally making solar panels mandatory on all new homes – cutting bills, protecting the countryside and helping us tackle the climate crisis. We have campaigned long and hard for a rooftop solar revolution and our research shows that 60% of the UK’s solar targets could be delivered on rooftops within ten years. Time is of the essence. We want to see every South West MP show up on the 17th and say a resounding YES to rooftop solar.”
Steve has written to North Devon MP Ian Roome, asking him to commit to supporting the 2nd reading of the Bill next week. He wrote: “As a constituent of yours, I urge you to support Max Wilkinson’s upcoming Private Members Bill on ‘New Homes (Solar Generation)’ on the 17th January. The Bill would ensure all new homes are fitted with solar panels – at last. The countryside is under unprecedented threat. There are new proposals in the pipeline to cover 17,000 acres of South-West Norfolk with solar panels – taking the equivalent of more than 50 farms out of production in the nation’s ‘breadbasket’. Already some 30 Devon farms have been lost in this way, in the region that, along with the East, provides the lion’s share of the UK’s food. Yet research from CPRE (The Campaign to Protect Rural England) shows that 60% of the UK’s solar targets could be delivered on rooftops by 2035 and 160% by 2050. This bill is pivotal for unlocking the power of rooftop solar, setting the UK on the road to achieving its clean power target without the lazy, cheap option of covering our farmland with glass. I am sure you will commit to supporting the Sunshine Bill on the 17th January.”
The CPRE has produced a straightforward explainer about the Bill for those who want to know more: https://www.cpre.org.uk/explainer/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-sunshine-bill/
The message is “Don’t delay, take action today.’