Wind turbines up to 15 metres high could be put up in industrial estates or farmland without planning permission under plans published by the government today.
Changes to the planning system would also make it easier for new solar roofs to go up on stadiums, schools and railway stations or for offices to be re-clad in solar panels, the Department for Communities and Local Government said.
But the new rules, which would also allow councils and electric car drivers to install charging points on streets and in car parks without a planning application, would come with strict caveats about size, noise levels and visual impacts on an area, the government said.
Installation of renewables ranging from ground and water source heat pumps, biomass boilers, anaerobic digestion system, solar panels and wind turbines could go ahead without planning permission in areas where they would be appropriate, with limits which would vary according to their location.
The overhaul of the planning system, which is being put out to consultation for three months, aims to help people cut their carbon emissions to fight climate change and deliver government commitments to boost renewables.