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Do You Need Planning Permission To Fit Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

Daniel Bracewell • 10 June 2024

With energy prices going up for a lot of people, contributing to cost of living pressures, it can be tempting to consider buying solar panels to help reduce the need for the National Grid.


For people living in a home with a flat roof, this can seem like a perfect solution; that underutilised space on top of your house could help generate some or all of the electricity you need.


With solar panel prices falling as well, it can be tempting to contact some
specialists in flat roof modification to make sure that your planned work is completed without any issues, but one major question that comes up with matters of modification is about planning permission.


As with any question regarding planning permission, your local planning authority should be the first port of call if you have any questions or queries, but in a lot of cases, solar panel plans can be classed as permitted development, which can be completed without submitting a formal planning application.


The general rules for planning permission with a flat roof are that the panels need to minimise the effect on the appearance of the home, should only be kept on the house as long as they are being used and should not be more than 60cm higher than the highest part of the roof sans chimney.


There are some complications to this. If your home qualifies as
Article 2(3) Land, defined as conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty, specifically protected by the Secretary of State, National Parks, World Heritage Sites or the Broads, you will always need planning permission.


The rules are a bit more relaxed in Scotland, where you can have a solar panel on your roof as long as it doesn’t extend more than a metre from the highest part.


This could all change in the next few months, but at present a lot of people can make the most of their flat roof as a base for solar panels and help cut their energy bills in the process.


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