Do I Need Planning Permission for Commercial Solar Panels?

With an emphasis on sustainability and the growing adoption of commercial solar power in the UK, questions about planning permission are common. This article discusses the planning requirements for installing solar panels on commercial premises.

Although solar power offers reduced energy costs and a lower carbon footprint, operational impediments such as inconvenience and time are commonly considered before investing in solar power. The good news is that within the UK, many businesses, especially those with small properties, do not need planning permission due to permitted development rights.

Permitted Development Rights

These rights allow UK property owners to make specific changes to their property without requiring full planning permission. They are granted through legislation and cover changes such as extensions, demolition and rebuilds to residential and commercial properties. This includes the installation of solar panels.

It is important to recognise that while full planning permission may not be required, restrictions and limitations may apply. For instance, more significant restrictions apply in protected areas and listed buildings, and requirements for permitted development can vary between the countries and local planning authorities depending on the class of development being undertaken.

General Planning Permission Requirements

Installing solar panels on a commercial building in the UK is usually straightforward. In most cases, especially for smaller properties, adding solar panels is considered permitted development and planning permission is not required if certain conditions are met.

The physical characteristics of the proposed installation play a significant role in these conditions. Installations that exceed specific size thresholds or protrude beyond defined limits from the plane of the roof or wall may need a formal planning application. Furthermore, ground-mounted solar panel arrays that surpass a specific area size generally require planning permission due to their potential visual impact and land use implications.

If an installation meets the general criteria for permitted development, planning permission might still be required if it is deemed by the local planning authority to have a significant adverse effect on the external appearance of the building or the overall amenity of the surrounding area.

As mentioned above, there are also scenarios where obtaining formal planning permission is generally necessary because of the type of building or protected nature of the land. Examples include listed buildings, conservation areas, national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and world heritage sites.

Key Conditions and Limitations

The conditions imposed upon permitted development rights used to include a maximum power capacity; however, this restriction was recently removed as a clear signal for increasing the adoption of renewable energy.

Physical characteristics and positional conditions for permitted development still exist, which commercial solar installers will help you navigate. Although specific values depend on the country in which the installation is taking place, the following conditions typically apply, subject to the country differences detailed or that apply at the time:

• On pitched roofs, panels must not project over 200m beyond the roof’s surface. In Scotland, this is 1m.
• On flat roofs, panels must not protrude more than 1m above the roof surface and should not be the highest feature of the roof (excluding chimneys).
• Panels should be at least 1m from the external roof edge.
• Ground-mounted solar panel arrays should not exceed 9m. In Scotland, this is 12m.

Installations on buildings officially designated as having special architectural or historic interest, known as listed buildings, invariably require listed building consent in addition to planning permission. This dual requirement ensures that alterations to historically significant structures are carefully considered to preserve their heritage. Similarly, properties situated within conservation areas, national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty, or world heritage sites are also subject to more stringent planning controls. In these designated areas, planning permission may be needed if the solar panels are visible from public highways or if their installation could negatively impact the character and appearance of the area.

Other conditions that may require planning permission include factors such as glare near aerodromes.

Next steps

While installing solar panels on commercial buildings in the UK is often permitted development, businesses must be aware of the specific circumstances that require planning permission in their region, including installations on listed buildings, in conservation areas and those exceeding certain size and protrusion limits. Key differences in permitted development rights exist between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, particularly concerning capacity limits and specific conditions for rooftop and ground-mounted installations.

To ensure that planning permission is clearly understood, please feel free to contact a member of our team. We will happily advise you on the particular requirements for your project and discuss how to ensure compliance with both planning permission regulations and building regulations.