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.
Building regulation approval for solar panels.
There are however important limits and conditions detailed on the following pages which must be met to benefit from these permitted development rights.
Building control local authorities.
The panels must not be installed on a building that is within the grounds of a listed building or on a site designated as a scheduled monument.
Of course with such installations the topic of planning permission and building regulations often comes to the surface.
Scotland has some additional rules regarding solar panels on exterior walls blocks or flats and flat roofed buildings.
Local authorities are responsible for compliance with the building regulations and most will have a dedicated building control department.
Some strengthening work may be needed.
More and more homes are having solar panels or solar tiles installed on their roofs.
There is some confusion as to whether a solar pv installation needs to be notified to the local authority and different authorities do have different approaches.
The ability of the existing roof to carry the load weight of the panel will need to be checked and proven.
This seems to be a bit of a grey area and some installers seem to do it and others don t.
If you wish to install a solar panel on your roof building regulations will normally apply.
Listed buildings and world heritage sites.
The issue here is whether the existing roof wil be able to take the extra roof loadings that solar panels will impose on it.
An increasing number of people are investing in solar energy.