A controversial move by Stroud-based Ecotricity to underline support for Palestine appears to be heading for a clash with Stroud District Council amid reports that planning officials have told the energy firm it can't fly the new flag the firm hoisted at its Cotswold HQ last week.

In the weekly Zerocarbonista podcast, in which Ecotricity owner Dale Vince discusses all things green with broadcaster Ian Collins, the Ecotricity founder said the business had ordered the flag two weeks before Glastonbury and it subsequently arrived while he was at the festival and engaged in appearances there.

Mr Vince said: "This huge flag got stuck on the front of our building which is in a very prominent place on the edge of Stroud, where the roads come into Stroud, so it's really rather visible. We are flying the flag out of solidarity with Palestinian people – it's all kinds of frustrating to me that such things are happening and are allowed to happen in Palestine, the exact things, only more so, that we see in Ukraine done by Russia, and the reaction that we give to Russia is completely different to the one we give to Israel."

He added: "I think it's racism quite frankly, Arab lives aren't as important as European ones."

He told Mr Collins Ecotricity would do what it could to support Palestine, and pointed out that Forest Green Rovers, also part of the Green Britain Group, had flown the country's flag at its Nailsworth home since 2022.

But he added: "The council just got in touch today and said 'Oh, you can't actually fly that flag without planning permission because Palestine is not recognised by the British government'."

Despite 147 UN members recognising Palestine as a sovereign state as of March this year, the UK abstained on the decision, the unrecognised status of the country in the UK meaning many councils can and do insist on planning permission being granted before such flags or banners are hoisted. Failing to acquire the paperwork falls foul of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.

In a statement to Punchline-Gloucester.com, SDC confirmed it had requested an application under these regulations.

A spokesperson said: "After being made aware of the flag on the front of Ecotricity building in Stroud, and reviewing planning regulations, we have invited the company to submit an application for advertising consent."

They added: "In England, certain flags may be flown without the need for express consent from a local planning authority. Those not needing consent include national flags of recognised states, flags of international organisations of which the UK is a member, and flags representing local authorities or public services. However, the Palestinian flag is not listed among those with automatic or deemed consent.

"Consequently, display of this flag on a building is treated as an advertisement under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007, primarily to ensure that displays don't negatively impact public safety or amenity.

"We have contacted Ecotricity to explain the relevant regulations and invited the company to consider submitting an application to regularise the display.

"We are committed to applying planning regulations fairly and consistently, and we are happy to provide guidance to anyone seeking clarification on advertisement consent requirements."

But any flag face-off from Ebley Mill appeared to land awkwardly alongside a statement from Stroud Green Party issued this weekend.

As the leading political entity at Ebley Mill, the group voiced "anger and concern" at Westminster's "draconian decision to proscribe the political protest and civil disobedience group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation".

The move to ban the protest group came from "cynical manoeuvring used to force the vote through Parliament on July 2," a spokesperson said, and was a move that "dangerously conflates direct action with terrorism".

By lumping Palestine Action together with two extremist organisations which do clearly fall under the definition of terrorist groups, the Greens said MPs had been forced into the vote.

Adrian Oldman, SDGP coordinator, said: "Only 26 MPs, including the four Greens, took the courageous step of voting against the blanket ban – and the Greens are furious that in doing so they were forced to vote against proscribing two clearly terrorist groups."

He added: "We certainly don't support everything Palestine Action do or say, but the group should not have been banned, a completely disproportionate response. Individual protestors can be sanctioned under existing criminal law if they commit a crime, while maintaining the right to non-violent direct action as a legitimate form of protest in this country."

The statement aded: "The complicity of the British state in the ongoing atrocities in Gaza needs to be exposed. This issue will not go away; Government will not stop the growing groundswell of anger and outrage about the plight of the Palestinians."

UPDATE: In a statement to Punchline, the Green Party stressed it had no option but to police planning regulations as required by legislation – but that the leading group of councillors at Ebley Mill supports Ecotricity's move.

It added: "The Council had received public complaints about the Ecotricity flag, so SDC officers were obliged to take advice on the matter. This confirmed that the Palestinian flag is not listed among those with automatic or deemed consent, because Palestine is not a state recognised by the UK Government (unlike in 147 of 193 UN Member States). As a result, the Council has had to invite Ecotricity to submit a planning application for the flag on its building.

"Unfortunately, this disappointing outcome is not a matter where political leadership can intervene: councillors, even those who are part of a council's administration, have no influence over this aspect of planning policy – rightly so, as politics should be kept out of such planning decisions.

"Regardless of the action SDC is required to take as Local Planning Authority under national legislation, the Green group of councillors and the rest of Stroud District Green Party support Ecotricity in the decision to display the Palestinian flag on their building. 

"The Ecotricity flag is a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people, and a protest against the violations of international law and the catastrophic violence being inflicted on them by the Israeli government. We join with Ecotricity in calling for an end to the genocide in Gaza and we share their support for all civilians caught up in the conflict. We will be writing to Dale Vince to express this support."

The statement added: "The Greens believe that this situation highlights the pressing need for the UK government to formally recognise the State of Palestine."

Recognising Palestine is a vital step towards justice, equality and a sustainable peace, they said. 

"It demonstrates a commitment to international law and a balanced approach to the region."