On Sunday, I took our family Labrador to join the parade of hundreds of others at Goodwoof, the entrepreneurial Duke of Richmond’s latest event at Goodwood now in its third year.
Originating from Newfoundland, near the Labrador Sea in Canada, Labradors were initially bred to assist fishermen in retrieving nets and catching fish that escaped from fishing lines. The breed was refined in the United Kingdom during the 19th century, where they were further developed for hunting and retrieving game.
Labrador Retrievers, often simply called Labradors or Labs, are one of the most popular and beloved dog breeds worldwide. Renowned for their friendly demeanour, intelligence, and versatility, Labradors have secured a special place in the hearts of many dog enthusiasts.
When the sun shines, energy from solar panels can be clean and cheap but not if the land used displaces food production which then must be shipped in from overseas. That would add to the UK’s Co2 emissions as well as reduce the amount of food we grow domestically.
I have supported residents in opposing several applications to smother West Sussex green fields in the alien ‘bacofoil’ of solar panels, so I was pleased with the government announcement last week that made even clearer to planners that solar is not to be built on prime farmland and that they should also take into effect the cumulative impacts where several proposals come forward in the same locality.
The best place for solar is on rooftops of supermarkets, warehouses or car parks and the Government is doing a lot to support this. Residential solar currently benefits from a zero rate of VAT and for businesses there are tax breaks. Planning policies are supportive or in some cases, even exempt from the need for permission. And the Future Homes Standard which will be announced shortly is expected to promote the use of rooftop solar in reducing energy bills for consumers.
