Backbench Conservative MP Michael Fallon has introduced a Private Member's Bill designed to give local authorities the legal power to set renewable and low carbon energy targets for new development.
His imitative has strong cross-party support as well as backing from a clutch of former environment ministers: Michael Meacher, Elliot Morley and John Gummer as well as former energy minister John Battle.
The parliamentary bill is specifically designed to reinforce the 'Merton Rule' - the planning condition which requires new developments to have at least 10 per cent of their power from on-site renewable sources.
It was introduced in the Commons on 5 December by Fallon, who sits for Sevenoaks, Kent. His proposed legislation is also supported by Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne and the chairman of the Commons environment select committee, Michael Jack.
Green energy campaigners are currently concerned that the Government is set to ditch its support for the Merton Rule, a claim strongly denied by ministers.
Michael Fallon said: "I want to see councils leading the fight against climate change. This Bill enables them to reach beyond the minimum standards set by Government. It encourages localism."
In a related development a major new report published by the independent Climate Change Commission, set up by the Local Government Association, has highlighted the role of planning in helping councils reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas.
The report has encouraged local authorities to do more to support renewable energy and maximise energy efficiency in new developments.
A spokesperson for Communities and Local Government said: "We have set a world-leading timetable for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016. That is why we need local councils to do far more to promote the use of decentralised renewable and low carbon energy, looking at community energy schemes like combined heat and power plants, as well as microgeneration. New planning rules will shortly set out stronger requirements.
"As we have made clear, councils need to continue to set Merton Rules on the proportion of energy supplied directly to developments from local renewable or local low carbon sources. An offshore wind farm, whilst welcome and important, would not count towards Merton targets for locally supplied eco-energy, despite some claims. "