When is Solar PV a Permitted Development?
A solar photovoltaic array is normally considered a permitted development, as long as certain criteria are met which are detailed below.
Solar PV fixed to your home, or another building within your grounds must meet the following criteria:
- The panels need to be sited as far as is practical to minimise the effect on the external appearance of the building.
- As soon as you stop using the Photovoltaic cells for power, then need to be removed as soon as practically possible.
- The panels should not be installed any higher than the highest point of your roof (excluding the chimney).
- They should project no more than 200mm off the edge of the roof.
- Panels cannot be sited on the roof of a building within the grounds of a listed building.
- If you live in a conservation area / world heritage site, you are not allowed to position the panels on a wall that would make them visible from a highway.
Solar PV not fixed to your home or roof, but situated somewhere on your land must follow the following criteria:
- The panels need to be sited as far as is practical to minimise the effect on the amenity of the area.
- As soon as you stop using the Photovoltaic cells for power, then need to be removed as soon as practically possible.
- Only the first stand alone Solar PV installation will fall under the ‘permitted development rights’ ruling, any additional panels will need planning permission
- No part of the installation can be over 4m and the array may not exceed 9m2
- The installation needs to be at least 5m from the boundary of your property.
- If you live in a conservation area / world heritage site, the closest part of the array needs to be further away from any highways than the closest part of the house.
Installing Solar PV
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With regard to planning to put solar panels on a flat roof is it OK to use frames that raise panels to 10 Degrees slope using standard industry support structures which are about 250mm higher than the roof surface and well within the boundary edge of the roof? In your bullet points above you only mention: ‘They should project no more than 200mm off the edge of the roof’
Hi Michael that shouldn’t be a problem. You might want to get a bit more angle on the panels though – ideally 20 degrees.