A leading green entrepreneur has warned that delays and red tape in the current planning process are in danger of harming farmers’ efforts to diversify and capitalise on renewable energy revenue.
Simon Rigby believes a major change of attitude is needed among planners to make the process more user-friendly for farmers looking to invest in the economy,
Rigby is founder of the UK’s leading ’energy farming’ expert Farmgen ’ which has a ’30m expansion plan to create anaerobic digestion (AD) electricity producing plants on farms across the UK.
He now has two plants up and running - at Carr Farm in Warton, Lancashire, and Dryholme Farm, near Silloth, Cumbria ’ adding up to a ’7m investment in the farm-based renewable technology.
The Lancashire-based green energy entrepreneur made his name as founder of the FTSE 250-listed utility services giant Spice plc.
He now heads fast-growing group of companies, Greengen, which includes procurement business Local Green Energy, and which is poised to become a major player in the sector.
He says the length of time the planning process takes is more than a frustration to green businesses ’ it is doing real harm.
He said: ’Something really has to be done to speed things up and to make it more user-friendly. It can be a real nightmare for farmers and other rural businesses trying to plan for their future in a realistic and sensible way.
’There are farmers looking to develop and grow, to create vital jobs and move the economy forward. They don’t need the uncertainty that the present planning process brings.
’Planners need to take on board the government’s view ’ if it’s green and sustainable let’s get on with it.
’Getting planning permission for a project can take years, and I’m not just talking in my sector but for all businesses.
’I really don’t understand it. Why has this inertia been allowed to continue ’ the country needs to get moving.’
