LOCAL planners are to blame for Gloucestershire being in danger of missing Government targets on renewable electricity according to an energy agency.

The county agreed to produce 40 to 50 megawatts of renewable electricity by 2010 but to date is providing just 9.89MW.

More concerning is that Gloucestershire is the only county in the South West that currently has no plans to increase its capacity.

The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has the best wind speeds in the county but the environmental impact of wind farms mean planners have turned applicants away.

A Cotswold District Council spokesperson said: "The council is taking part in a three year local area agreement and one target is renewable energy.

"The council are considering solar panels and wind turbines and we plan to have between 150 and 300 installations in the next three years."

However county councillor Roger Brown said: "In Fairford there was a proposal to put solar panels on the roof of a revamped community centre but the Cotswold planners said no."

Renewable energy agency Regen SW state that no progress has been made in the region in a year.

Cllr Brown added: "These government targets for 2010 were relaxed in the first place and over all we have been shockingly half-hearted about renewable energy."

Chief executive of Regen SW Matthew Spencer said: "In the last year we've seen a sea change in public attitudes to climate change but this is still not being reflected in planning decisions by local councils."

Mr Spencer said: "Whilst we'd encourage local councils to support a range of renewable technologies it is their attitude to wind farms in the next two years which will be a crucial test of their commitment.

"It remains the cheapest and most powerful renewable technology available to us in the short term."

When asked whether the county council expected to meet their target a spokesperson said: "Whilst on this issue it isn't easy to accurately predict what we will achieve in the future, we are committed to renewable energy where it's appropriate in Gloucestershire."

NORTH Wiltshire is one of the top ten districts for renewable electricity according to a new survey released this week.

Every county in the South West agreed to a government target for production of renewable electricity by 2010.

The region is lagging behind its targets to increase renewable electricity but North Wiltshire is setting the standard.

It came seventh in a top ten league table of the best South West districts.

District council spokesman Paul Langcaster said: "The council has a policy for renewable energy projects that permits developments that do not cause harm to designated historical areas or natural landscapes, and do not conflict with the Green Belt."

The counties agreed their targets in 2005 and most have introduced policies to realise them.

Renewable energy agency Regen SW found no counties in the region were close to producing the renewable electricity capacity agreed.

Renewable energy is only providing two percent of the region's total electricity consumption.

Chief executive of Regen SW Matthew Spencer said: "Some local politicians are now walking the talk on renewable energy, but they are still in a minority.

"Even the districts at the top of the league table could be doing much better given the natural resources that they have."

According to Regen SW local planners are causing the biggest problem for the development of renewable energy.