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A three-month consultation has been launched aimed at obtaining views about the requirements and standards that would be needed for legislation to allow homeowners, developers and businesses to install their own on-site energy-efficiency measures.

Items such as heat pumps and wind turbines could be fitted on a property without the need for so much red tape, housing and planning minister John Healey said.

However, any relaxation of current rules would come with various clauses restricting any work in terms of visual impact, noise and location.

Mr Healey said the measures were all part and parcel of helping homeowners make their residences greener.

"Our planning rules need to catch up with changing technologies and allow people to take the small measures that make big differences," he added.

News of the eco proposals come as the Met Office announced the results of recent research.

It said carbon emissions will need to hit near-zero by the end of the century - or a two degree rise in average global temperature will be unavoidable.