David Walton
We are able to point you in the right direction for planning advice if you need it. If you need precise dimensions, you will find an image here on our solar trackers page, and links to pdf's of the dimensions sheets here on our Documents page.
The government planning portal makes no reference to solar tracking systems, despite our efforts to inform them of the availability and potential uses for the systems. In most instances planning permission is not required for a single system - it is allowed under permitted development, unless your property is listed, in a conservation area or national park. There are obsolete rules re distance from boundary and size of installation that bear no resemblance to available new technology. Our systems can be regarded as temporary structures as they are completely movable in a few hours. Link to the government planning portal here. It is important to note that although conservation areas and listed buildings are covered by specific regulations regarding visual amenity etc, neither of these criteria should lead to an outright rejection without discussion with a planning officer. Do not be put off by the fact that many planning officers are inexperienced and do not understand the regulations regarding renewable energy/permitted development and may require help to interpret them correctly which means understanding new technology that they are largely unaware of and therefore they tend to veer towards a negative response. Planning officers are often still working from home and can be difficult to contact directly which can pose a further challenge.
"The installation of solar panels and equipment on residential buildings and land may be 'permitted development' with no need to apply to the Local Planning Authority for planning permission. There are, however, important limits and conditions, detailed on the following pages, which must be met to benefit from these permitted development rights."
However, should you encounter difficulties, we can recommend an excellent planning consultant to help you resolve the issue with your local planning authority. David Walton of Valley Environmental Consulting is an experienced planning consultant in the field - website and details here.
David has already obtained planning permission for a Heliomotion PV-6 being installed at a new build property in Norfolk and is involved in several more multi-system projects.
His consultancy, Valley Environmental offers Urban and Environmental Planning, Green Infrastructure & Landscape Design services to clients around the UK. A complementary team of Director & Environmental & Planning Consultant David Walton MIEMA, and Nic Baddeley CMLI, Chartered Landscape Architect provide services to local authorities, planning consultants, private housebuilders, housing associations, community groups and a number of other private clients. With a hands on style, personal and competitive service and broad range of experience and services, Valley Environmental is well positioned to meet your project's needs, large or small.
David comments:" It's worth considering a pre application to identify whether the local planning authority will support the proposals and this takes about 6 weeks. It can simplify the full application which takes about 8 weeks. We try to work to ensure a quick turnaround from planners reassuring them that impacts are low. They are often looking at issues around impacts on neighbours, landscape, noise also glare, as well as whether the site is near a listed building or sensitive landscape. We engage with planners to demonstrate that these renewable energy systems are key to providing sustainable energy and their low impacts are acceptable in planning terms."
The government planning portal makes no reference to solar tracking systems, despite our efforts to inform them of the availability and potential uses for the systems. In most instances planning permission is not required for a single system - it is allowed under permitted development, unless your property is listed, in a conservation area or national park. There are obsolete rules re distance from boundary and size of installation that bear no resemblance to available new technology. Our systems can be regarded as temporary structures as they are completely movable in a few hours. Link to the government planning portal here. It is important to note that although conservation areas and listed buildings are covered by specific regulations regarding visual amenity etc, neither of these criteria should lead to an outright rejection without discussion with a planning officer. Do not be put off by the fact that many planning officers are inexperienced and do not understand the regulations regarding renewable energy/permitted development and may require help to interpret them correctly which means understanding new technology that they are largely unaware of and therefore they tend to veer towards a negative response. Planning officers are often still working from home and can be difficult to contact directly which can pose a further challenge.
"The installation of solar panels and equipment on residential buildings and land may be 'permitted development' with no need to apply to the Local Planning Authority for planning permission. There are, however, important limits and conditions, detailed on the following pages, which must be met to benefit from these permitted development rights."
However, should you encounter difficulties, we can recommend an excellent planning consultant to help you resolve the issue with your local planning authority. David Walton of Valley Environmental Consulting is an experienced planning consultant in the field - website and details here.
David has already obtained planning permission for a Heliomotion PV-6 being installed at a new build property in Norfolk and is involved in several more multi-system projects.
His consultancy, Valley Environmental offers Urban and Environmental Planning, Green Infrastructure & Landscape Design services to clients around the UK. A complementary team of Director & Environmental & Planning Consultant David Walton MIEMA, and Nic Baddeley CMLI, Chartered Landscape Architect provide services to local authorities, planning consultants, private housebuilders, housing associations, community groups and a number of other private clients. With a hands on style, personal and competitive service and broad range of experience and services, Valley Environmental is well positioned to meet your project's needs, large or small.
David comments:" It's worth considering a pre application to identify whether the local planning authority will support the proposals and this takes about 6 weeks. It can simplify the full application which takes about 8 weeks. We try to work to ensure a quick turnaround from planners reassuring them that impacts are low. They are often looking at issues around impacts on neighbours, landscape, noise also glare, as well as whether the site is near a listed building or sensitive landscape. We engage with planners to demonstrate that these renewable energy systems are key to providing sustainable energy and their low impacts are acceptable in planning terms."