Businesses which invest in energy microgeneration will no longer see an automatic triggering of business rate reassessment and higher bills under amendments to legislation published by DCLG.

Under current procedures, any material improvement to a property can automatically trigger a reassessment of its rateable value. But the new announcement means that such valuation assessments will be delayed until the first general revaluation after microgeneration equipment is installed. Current legislation requires valuation officers to reassess the value of business properties and although installation of microgeneration does not lead to an automatic revaluation, the Government is keen to counteract concerns that investment in the technology will provoke such action.
“We all need to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprints,” said local government minister John Healey. “Small scale energy generation, like installing solar water heating or a biomass boiler, can be a cost-effective way to do this. By 2020 a significant amount of the renewable heat generated in the UK could come from small scale installations.”

The next revaluation of business premises is scheduled to take effect on 1 April 2010 but the new changes to the legislation will enter force on 1 October.

u www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/955160