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Solar panels

Planning Permission: Solar equipment mounted on a house or a block of flats or on a building within the curtilage

All the following conditions must be observed:

  • Equipment on a building should be sited, so far as is practicable, to minimise the effect on the external appearance of the building and the amenity of the area.
  • When no longer needed equipment should be removed as soon as reasonably practicable.
  • If solar equipment is to be installed on a flat roof on Article 2(3)* land then the developer must apply to the local planning authority for prior approval.

All the following limits must be met:

  • On a pitched roof, panels should not be installed above the highest part of the roof (excluding the chimney) and should project no more than 200mm from the roof slope or wall surface.
  • On a flat roof the highest part of the solar PV equipment cannot be more than 600mm higher than the highest part of the roof (excluding chimney).
  • The panels must not be installed on a building that is within the grounds of a listed building or on a site designated as a scheduled monument.
  • If your property is in a conservation area, or in a World Heritage Site, panels must not be fitted to a wall which fronts a highway.

* Designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.

Note - If you are a leaseholder you may need to get permission from your landlord, freeholder or management company.


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      The Planning Portal is delivered by PortalPlanQuest Limited which is a joint venture between TerraQuest Solutions Limited and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). All content © 2024 Planning Portal.

      The Planning Portal is delivered by PortalPlanQuest Limited which is a joint venture between TerraQuest Solutions Limited and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). All content © 2024 Planning Portal.