Solar panels going to be overshadowed by neighbour's loft extension

73jules

Just to warn people with or thinking about getting solar panels that this could happen.  My Council has just granted planning permission for one such extension but I am still battling on to stop it happening to my mine!!   

diystarter7

Hi OP
Personally, I'd not have solar P's even if I was paid thousands as they look hideous to me.
However, your heads-up will be appreciated by many and me included as many people ask me about everything and I'll remember this one.


Many thanks

Krakkkers

Every time my FIT payments come in i think what a terrible decision i made having the panels installed.
When my iboost tells me i have another tank of free hot water and i only had to import 3kwh from the grid i curse those ugly panels.
It will be even worse next year as they impose a 10 - 15% increase in the amount of money i will receive.

Mister_G

Krakkkers said:

Every time my FIT payments come in i think what a terrible decision i made having the panels installed.
When my iboost tells me i have another tank of free hot water and i only had to import 3kwh from the grid i curse those ugly panels.
It will be even worse next year as they impose a 10 - 15% increase in the amount of money i will receive.

I know, it's dreadful - isn't it 

Alnat1

I look at my energy account and see it's £340 in credit and wonder how this can be possible when I've not paid them a penny since it was opened in April.

Then I remember the hideously ugly panels I had installed on the roof in March.

[Deleted User]

That's a mad situation OP, thanks for the heads-up.

How are you approaching fighting it?  Which legislation or CoP are you going by?

Krakkkers

Extensions plans halted due to loss of light to solar panels - Smart Planning

Mister_G

There was the old "right to light" in early planning legislation, but obviously solar panels weren't around back then (Victorian?)

Brie

Krakkkers said:

Extensions plans halted due to loss of light to solar panels - Smart Planning

so if I don't want my neighbours to build an extension I should lob some panels on my roof??

Krakkkers

The law isnt that stupid, panels have to exist first.

73jules

Now I will really bore you all with my saga.  The Medway case Brie mentions means that solar panels now have to be viewed as a material consideration in planning applications.  Problem is what is a material consideration.  My Council's report was done by the BRE who very quietly published guidance on overshadowing earlier this year as a section in its Right to Light guidance and suggested a 10% level (no explanation/ justification of this given).  The solar section is flawed because it referred MCS guidance published in 2012 which has been updated several times since.  Even using the flawed section, report for my panels says loss will exceed 10%!!  But I have another argument - Council never mentioned overshadowing when promoting Solar Together so must have adopted an unpublished policy not to allow future overshadowing.  Council planners rejected that because it was not in local development plan.  Now put forward argument that when promoting the latest Solar Together round, overshadowing risk was still not mentioned so presumably, while it amended the local plan, it set a materiality level such that no future overshadowing would be allowed!!  No doubt Council lawyers are looking as to how it can wriggle out of that!!