Solar Industry Welcomes Plans to Make it Easier to Install Solar Panels on Listed Buildings

Currently, if you are considering installing solar panels or some other types of energy-efficient retrofits on a historic building you will need to get planning permission from your local authority. 

At the end of 2023, Historic England urged local authorities to simplify planning processes to allow the approval of solar and heat pump installations on heritage buildings unless they resulted in “unacceptable harm”. 

Earlier this year, the Departments for Energy Security and Net Zero, Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities and Culture (DLUHC) published a review of the system of rules for renovating historic homes and how they form a barrier to improving the energy efficiency of these homes. 

There was general agreement from those taking part in the review that the rules for installing solar panels on listed buildings are unduly complex and restrictive. The common perception among contributors was that “obtaining planning permission or listed building consent took too long”.

It was agreed that as things stand some people are put off from looking further into retrofit measures for their homes as they perceive the planning process to be too complex and uncertain to navigate. 

As a result of this review, the DLUHC intends to tackle this issue by publishing new guidance for local planning authorities and drafting a new development policy for retrofits on historic buildings.

Furthermore, it wants to give local authorities the encouragement they need to grant more Listed Building Consent Orders (LBCOs), especially for solar panel installations. LCBOs give homeowners permission to make alterations or add extensions to listed buildings.

The review said that there was already a way to cut through the red tape via Listed Building Consent Orders which can provide permission for certain alterations or extensions to listed buildings in England. So far only one English local authority, Kensington and Chelsea Council, has liberalised the regime of solar installations. They allow solar panels to be installed if they do not face roads or protrude more than 20cm from the roof. The review spoke positively about extending this kind of provision.

Historic homes are an important part of our country’s rich heritage. It is vital that we protect, conserve, and adapt these cultural assets for the benefit of future generations. To ensure their long-term survival we need to find ways to adapt them so they can accommodate energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating. 

The UK has 5.9 million buildings that were constructed before 1919 which is a significant percentage of the UK’s building stock. Historic homes have an important contribution to make in meeting the UK’s Net Zero objectives in terms of their contribution to the UK’s overall energy efficiency and low carbon heat agenda as well as the carbon that is saved through their continued use and reuse. 

Historic buildings and homes in conservation areas across England could benefit from changes in planning rules. Unfortunately, a lot of old buildings are energy inefficient. Approximately 80% of homes built before 1930 in England and Wales have Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of D to G, the lowest bands. These EPC ratings could be improved if the government made it easier to install solar panels on these homes as well as other energy-saving measures such as heat pumps, double glazing, and insulation. 

This would not only lower the energy bills for people in old or listed buildings but also reduce the country’s emissions bearing in mind that household emissions make up around 17% of the UK’s total. 

The DLUHC’s review has given them a better understanding of the obstacles that owners of listed buildings and homes in conservation areas face when they want to install energy efficiency or low-carbon heating measures in their properties.  

The government is committed to putting in place a range of actions that will ensure this country’s historic homes are fit for the future and that they play their part in helping the UK reach its 2050 target. 

Initially, the DLUHC plans to work with Historic England to issue clearer guidance on which energy efficiency measures require planning permission or listed building consent. Historic England will also publish planning advice for councils on climate change and historic buildings.

Before you install solar panels on listed buildings or buildings in conservation areas you need to apply for listed building consent and then for planning permission. If a building is listed, it has legal protection due to its historical or architectural significance and more attention needs to be given to the building’s outer appearance. An unauthorised installation is a criminal offence. Many listed buildings can accommodate panels if fitted discreetly. Panels should be placed in less visible areas so putting them on a prominent roof space would almost certainly not be acceptable.

Many homeowners in historic properties feel the planning process is too complex and uncertain to navigate and end up not bothering to apply for planning permission. However, in the case of solar installations, the DLUHC found that some local authorities accepted almost all applications while others were much more restrictive which makes the whole process a bit of a postcode lottery. Furthermore, views on what are acceptable changes vary from one local authority to another according to the DLUHC review. 

Despite the current sometimes rigorous process to get Listed Building Consent, there are some notable examples of successful installations on important listed buildings. 

Objections from Historic England were overcome to install 497 solar panels on Cambridge University’s Grade 1 listed King’s College Chapel as part of works to replace its dilapidated lead roof. The panels are set to generate 123,000kWh of electricity each year, covering all of the Chapel's electricity needs.

Another great example is King’s Cross Station, a Grade 1 listed building that uses 1,392 custom-made glass laminate solar panels integrated across 2,300 square metres of its glass roofs. These panels generate 175,000kWh of electricity each year, resulting in an annual reduction of over 100 tonnes of COâ‚‚ emissions.

What to Consider Before Applying for Listed Building Consent?

Before applying for Listed Building Consent, it’s a good idea to contact your local authority’s conservation team as they can advise you on what’s likely to be acceptable before you start work on the initial stage of solar PV installation. To get Listed Building Consent you will need to apply to your local planning authority. Your application needs to explain how the panels will be installed, how they look, whether they will affect the building’s character, and how they will fit with the existing structure. 

Although solar panels are much cheaper than they used to be they still constitute a hefty outlay so it’s wise to wait until you have got the necessary consent to proceed. 

Once your application has been submitted, the local authority will assess the potential solar installation’s visual impact by reviewing the colour, finish, and arrangement of the panels to ensure the planned changes work well with the existing aesthetics.
In the case of listed buildings that have unsuitable roofs with delicate roof tiles which might make solar installations costlier or riskier a viable alternative is to install ground-mounted solar panels in the gardens or grounds. 

Although it’s possible to install solar panels on a listed church special permissions must be sought from the church's relevant denominational authority rather than Listed Building Consent. You will still need to apply for planning permission. 

How to apply for Listed Building Consent

You or your installer can apply for Listed Building Consent online through the Planning Portal or by downloading the relevant forms from your local authority's website.
Your application must include the following:

• Detailed plans and drawings that show the proposed changes and their effect on the building’s character
• A heritage statement (also known as a statement of heritage significance)
• A heritage impact assessment to explain why the changes are necessary and desirable
• A design and access statement.

Listed Building consent is usually free, but there may be a charge if the application is part of a group of other planning permission applications for the same works, such as if you’re building an extension. 

It normally takes around eight weeks to get Listed Building Consent though the process can take longer if it’s a more complicated situation. In some cases, you may need further consultations with conservation officers and modifications to your application to preserve the building’s character. 
Specialist advice may be required if your application involves significant alterations to Grade 1 or Grade 2 listed buildings such as demolition.

Can Ground-mounted Solar Panels be a Good Alternative?

Ground-mounted solar panels can be an excellent option when roof installations aren’t feasible, or they would ruin the building’s character and appearance. 

If you are considering ground-mounted solar panels, it’s important to make sure the panels are placed carefully in the landscape to make them less noticeable. They should be kept away from the main parts of the building or any important views, perhaps using natural screening like hedges or trees to hide them from full view. Ideally, the panels should blend in with their surroundings.

It's also always important to check out the archaeological significance of the site, as a ground-mounted solar installation could cause significant damage to buried heritage assets.

Careful planning and consultation with local conservation officers are essential to respect both the historical and aesthetic values of the listed building, just as with a rooftop solar array. 

Are Solar Roof Tiles a viable Alternative?

Solar roof tiles are less intrusive than solar panels. However, because they don’t fully imitate standard tiles and have a shorter lifespan, they are not always the best choice for prominent roofs on listed buildings and are unlikely to benefit less visible areas. 

If you are considering using solar roof tiles you will need to determine how well the installation will cover the roof and keep it weatherproof. You’ll also need to consider how the solar tiles might change over time and how this could affect how they look and function as a covering. 

Flashing is sometimes used in the integration process when installing solar roof tiles, but this will only work for certain types of roof coverings. 

If you are only looking at replacing part of the roof your installer will need to check for compatibility as part of the survey and also ensure that there’s enough ventilation space to allow the solar tiles to keep working efficiently. 

Conclusion

Planning policy is beginning to move towards retrofit and energy efficiency solutions. You can see this in the recent addition of paragraph 164 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which clearly directs decision-makers to give weight to both the benefits of retrofit and any impact of that on heritage assets on acceptability of proposals. Before the addition of paragraph 164, the direction of instruction was to give weight to impacts on heritage assets in decision-making and not the benefits of retrofits. Now when any retrofit is being considered, not only does the the impact of the proposals on the significance of heritage assets need to be assessed but the benefits of the retrofit need to be quantified also.