Solar Thermal Hot Water & Planning Requirements

GreenEnergy360: The Sun is an abundant free energy source – even in the cloudy UK!

The Sun is an abundant free energy
source – even in the cloudy UK!

Since early 2008, planning permission obstacles for solar thermal systems isn’t such an issue.

For Solar thermal permission, isn’t usually needed for rooftop panels if they are less than 150mm thick. For ground-based systems, the maximum area is 9m2, and they should be more than 5 meters from your property’s boundary.

Solar Thermal Hot Water Planning Tips:

Top tips for solar thermal planning issues:

  • Check out your local authority website for local information about planning issues. Search the site for ‘renewable energy’ if you can’t find the right page
  • Ask your installer for advice – especially if they are local!
  • Always consult your local authority if you live in a conservation area or a listed building.

If you live in a conservation area or a listed building, then liaise with your local authority’s planning department to assess their views on rooftop solar panels. They may allow panels that are low profile or similar in colour to the existing roof covering. Recently, solar thermal tiles have become available that can match closely with the rest of the roof.

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