All new homes should have panels

The Southam area has become a besieged territory: three wind turbine farm applications, three more for solar panel farms, HS2 and thousands of new houses. Some will happen and some will wither on the vine.

The battle against totally uneconomic wind turbines is on the point of being won. Solar panels are a different matter of course and will be proved to be a much more valuable addition to our means of generating electricity. The argument revolves around the siting of these installations. Using up green fields should not be an option. Southam has three defunct cement works quarries within a three mile radius that are only part used.

However, I think the winning argument is for district councils to insist that all new planning permissions, whether residential or commercial must only be allowed where provision is made for the inclusion of sufficient rooftop solar panelling to more than light and heat that building. The modern panels are much more acceptable visually than earlier ones and the economics stand up to any scrutiny.

Robert Sherriff, Masters Orchard, Southam