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Town hall puts the wind up eco-crusader
Belsize Park's Ethical Man, Justin Rowlatt, is blaming the council for blowing his eco-friendly experiment off course.
As part of BBC2's Newsnight programme Mr Rowlatt has agreed to spend a year living as environmental a lifestyle as possible.
But Camden Council's planning department is making heavy weather of his efforts to install a £1,500 wind turbine on the side of his house in Park Hill Road.
"What I don't understand is Camden boasting about its green credentials and trumpeting its successes, but not supporting people's attempts to use a renewable energy source for their own homes," said Mr Rowlatt.
Despite receiving letters of support from his neighbours, Mr Rowlatt has been forced to carry out a £1,800 survey to test possible noise levels of the 1.7metre turbine before the council will consider his application.
Camden was named the country's greenest local authority in May's Green City report for having the lowest domestic emissions of CO2 gases.
But this week Labour's energy minister Malcolm Wicks and Tory party leader David Cameron received planning permission from their councils for wind turbines, while Mr Rowlatt is left in turbine-free limbo.
"I am very frustrated," he said. "I think Camden Council is being far too tough on me. Maybe it's because I am just a humble Newsnight journalist."
Last July the council gave itself permission to install five wind turbines on the roof of the Town Hall citing its commitment to renewable energy sources.
Mr Rowlatt wants to test his wind turbine for six months and believes the council should wait until after that time before going through the planning process.
"All I am saying to the council is give me six months to try it out. They should take a chance with this new technology," he said.
"This could be an experiment for the good of everyone and one that the whole borough could celebrate."
A spokeswoman for the council said the noise survey was compulsory. She said: "We don't set the charges for the surveys and it is our responsibility to make sure there will not be any noise problems for other residents."
Cllr Alexis Rowell, Camden's eco champion, said: "If the turbines show they can reduce emissions and not cause any noise problems then we should be making it easier for people to put these things on their roofs next to their TV aerials."
Mr Rowlatt's battle comes in a week when the government's energy review called for a large increase in power from wind and solar sources.
Ministers have also been asked to encourage people to make their homes more energy efficient.
o If you want to follow Mr Rowlatt's progress you can visit www.bbc.co.uk/newsnight.
editorial@hamhigh.co.uk
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