It can be difficult to improve the Energy Efficiency of listed buildings, where planning rules prevent the installation of solar panel, double glazing and other energy saving changes. Jeremy Owenson, the local Conservative Leader, is advocating an over-haul of planning rules to make it easier for owners of older, listed buildings to implement improvements.
“Many listed buildings are off-network and require oil to run central heating and hot water. It is crazy that people are forced to burn more oil to keep properties warm, rather than instal good quality heritage style double glazing.”
Local County Council candidate for Malvern Chase Seb Barbour added “We limit the approval of solar panels, leaving older properties reliant on fossil fuels, and yet our countryside is being inundated with solar farms. If we let people use the roof that is already there, we could return our countryside back to farmland.”
