Roof PV as a material variation.

[epsilonGreedy]

Roof PV is a controversial subject in my conservation area but I am wondering if I could sneak through planing permission for PV under a material variation as I did for a change of approved bricks earlier in the build.

 

I have a planing condition that stipulates a natural roof slate and I would be looking for approval to substitute about 5 m2 of slate roof for a modest 1.1Kw 3-panel PV array inset into the roof with GSE trays. Total roof area is about 115 m2 and the PV array would be on a rear roof elevation.

 

These all black panels mounted on in-roof GSP panels would blend in well I hope:

https://www.lg.com/uk/business/neon-h-black

 

p.s.

For the technically curious...

 

The 30 degree hipped roof has a complex L-shape and the principal elevations face east & west, hence a 3 panel array on the small southerly facing L-roof area is the largest that makes sense from a planning perspective. The largest roof area faces 8 degrees north of west.

 

I hope a 1.1kw array will give us the two of us free daily hot water for 6 months of the year.

[TonyT]

Sounds like you are trying my to change slate to glass, doesn’t fit in with my understanding of the scheme, however each should be considered in its own merit.

 

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by TonyT

[epsilonGreedy]

On 28/11/2021 at 12:50, TonyT said:

Sounds like you are trying my to change slate to glass, doesn’t fit in with my understanding of the scheme, however each should be considered in its own merit.

 

 

I had a long chat with planning, as I am lucky to live within a District Council that assigns a duty planner each day to handle random approaches from the public. They don't charge for extensive interactive chats that ramble on for 30 minutes.

 

I learned the following:

• There is a general positive attitude to solar PV.
• If the solar PV is not visible from the road and front elevation they are unlike to object.
• Reflections off the glass panel surface that might dazzle and inconvenience others is a PV planning consideration.
• He was not familiar with the in-roof GSE system but understood the concept.
• A frameless in-roof system was clearly preferable to some plonk-on retrofit.
• All black panels did not excite the planner so much.

And in my particular case:

• PV in the conservation area is ok subject to points above.
• I do not actually have a planning condition to fit slate, just a satisfied condition that a material sample of the roof be approved.
• An NMA is the safest planning option for me though he went off for a chat with a colleague to see if the PV could be nodded through as an updated roof sample material approval. 

[Bitpipe]

I tried to add pv to front roof as NMA but it was rejected, however was able to do it under PD.

 

 

 

 

[epsilonGreedy]

On 05/12/2021 at 22:29, Bitpipe said:

I tried to add pv to front roof as NMA but it was rejected, however was able to do it under PD.

 

 

The helpful planning officer said PD does not come into effect until the build is finished and I am a householder. Also some of my development rights were withdrawn with the planning approval though this appears to be specific to ground structures like a conservatory.