Ben Elton in hot water Down Under over solar panels

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Following his recent move to Australia, UK comic Ben Elton has landed himself in hot water with his neighbours after fitting solar panels to his roof.

According to the Daily Mail, the comedian and writer on hit shows such as Blackadder, drew complaints from the local authority after fitting the renewable energy technology to his £1 million house in Perth, western Australia, without first applying for planning permission.

The property, which was built in 1903, is regarded as being of historical significance, the newspaper reports, and so requires planning permission before any amendments are made to it.

He was ordered to remove the solar panels or face a £30,000 fine, although the Daily Mail notes the council has now allowed him to keep the fixtures.

Solar panels can help to reduce a property's carbon footprint and its utility bills, but in the UK, planning permission is required before carrying out such work.

However, with housing and planning minister John Healey recently proposing to allow Britons to fit wind turbines and air source heat pumps without planning permission, could the same be set to apply to solar panels in the future?
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