Are people really so dim?

[Swwils]

We don't even charge domestic for power factor....yet.

[Mart]

We live in a conservation area and I checked online to see if I could install solar panels.
It looked like I could as long as they didn’t face the road, however I emailed the council, before I had them installed, in August 2022. No reply yet ……just sums up the incompetence of public services in this country.

It's possible that this may have now been relaxed. There are just so many people who live in so many conservation areas in the UK, that PV restrictions open up the LA's to legal challenge.

Given that deemed permission now exists for installs on walls, and flat roofs with the panels no longer having to follow the roof pitch, but upto 1m higher), you may find that the LA has relaxed its position on PV facing the road.

To be clear, not saying they will have, but there's a chance, especially now that some panels if black with black frames, can look quite nice (dare I say?)

[Bugtownboy]

Also, conservation areas can change.

When we bought the house (2013), we were in a conservation area.

Approx 4-5 years later we had a note to say the conservation area boundaries had changed.

We were, thankfully, now outside by about 50’

Always worth rechecking.

[sharpener]

Given that deemed permission now exists for installs on walls, and flat roofs with the panels no longer having to follow the roof pitch, but upto 1m higher), you may find that the LA has relaxed its position on PV facing the road.

To be clear, not saying they will have, but there's a chance, especially now that some panels if black with black frames, can look quite nice (dare I say?)

I didn't know about this. So looked it up. Planning Portal says this:

On a flat roof the highest part of the solar PV equipment cannot be more than 600mm higher than the highest part of the roof (excluding chimney).

So not 1m but it seems you could include the height of the ridge tiles or any upstand round the edge.

[Mart]

Given that deemed permission now exists for installs on walls, and flat roofs with the panels no longer having to follow the roof pitch, but upto 1m higher), you may find that the LA has relaxed its position on PV facing the road.

To be clear, not saying they will have, but there's a chance, especially now that some panels if black with black frames, can look quite nice (dare I say?)

I didn't know about this. So looked it up. Planning Portal says this:

On a flat roof the highest part of the solar PV equipment cannot be more than 600mm higher than the highest part of the roof (excluding chimney).

So not 1m but it seems you could include the height of the ridge tiles or any upstand round the edge.

Sorry about that, I was sure the rules had been softened for England, as in Wales it's now "panels cannot protrude more than 1 metre above the plane of the roof." for permitted development. [At least England doesn't have our silly 'within 3m of a boundary' rule for PP for an ASHP, I think it's 1m in England.]

[Yuff]

Ae-midlands

I think it’s just the frustration with the bureaucracy of public services that only gets worse.
I have a fair bit of experience of the court system and the NHS recently and the determination to avoid responsibility and providing a service is staggering.
None more so when a gentleman was in front of my wife at the GP’s reception last week complaining of chest pains. Stock answer was get someone to drive you to a&e, which he was unable to do. He said I’ll have to get a train to which the reply was we wouldn’t advise that. So he asked the receptionist what he should do, stood his ground for a minute and eventually the receptionist “oh…ok I’ll get someone to see you but they will tell you the same thing as I have said”
Public bodies don’t want to serve the public anymore………

[AE-NMidlands]

Ae-midlands

I think it’s just the frustration with the bureaucracy of public services that only gets worse.
I have a fair bit of experience of the court system and the NHS recently and the determination to avoid responsibility and providing a service is staggering.
None more so when a gentleman was in front of my wife at the GP’s reception last week complaining of chest pains. Stock answer was get someone to drive you to a&e, which he was unable to do. He said I’ll have to get a train to which the reply was we wouldn’t advise that. So he asked the receptionist what he should do, stood his ground for a minute and eventually the receptionist “oh…ok I’ll get someone to see you but they will tell you the same thing as I have said”
Public bodies don’t want to serve the public anymore………

...and GP surgeries are private companies owned by the Partners, apparently they fought to keep their independance when the NHS was set up.

The stress on the people-without-control still working in lots of parts of the public sector is appalling: they know what should be being done, but haven't got the resources. Pharmacists (Like GPs, also small private businesses or chains) have voted to strike because it said on this morning's radio that they as a profession/business get something like 40% of what they received 20 years ago (I can't remember the exact numbers.)

Similarly every part of the Criminal Justice system has its back to the wall but is fighting with one hand tied behind its back.

If you want a low-tax economy you can't expect effective public provision...

[sharpener]

Sorry about that, I was sure the rules had been softened for England, as in Wales it's now "panels cannot protrude more than 1 metre above the plane of the roof." for permitted development. [At least England doesn't have our silly 'within 3m of a boundary' rule for PP for an ASHP, I think it's 1m in England.]

Don't apologise. I didn't know things were different in Wales, ridiculous but I suppose a necessary sop to/consequence of devolution. Doesn't make much difference bc won't landscape panels at optimal tilt will be less than 600mm anyway?

We keep being promised a relaxation of the 1m rule for ASHPs, which would make a lot of difference (esp for terraced housing with narrow plots). I think they emit less noise from the back anyway bc the HX screens the fans somewhat. The best current models are now vv quiet anyway.

[Mart]

Sorry about that, I was sure the rules had been softened for England, as in Wales it's now "panels cannot protrude more than 1 metre above the plane of the roof." for permitted development. [At least England doesn't have our silly 'within 3m of a boundary' rule for PP for an ASHP, I think it's 1m in England.]

Don't apologise. I didn't know things were different in Wales, ridiculous but I suppose a necessary sop to/consequence of devolution. Doesn't make much difference bc won't landscape panels at optimal tilt will be less than 600mm anyway?

We keep being promised a relaxation of the 1m rule for ASHPs, which would make a lot of difference (esp for terraced housing with narrow plots). I think they emit less noise from the back anyway bc the HX screens the fans somewhat. The best current models are now vv quiet anyway.

Yeah I was thinking the same about panels mounted landscape. I'm most surprised at PD for wall mounted panels. I think they can/could look excellent, but simply assumed planning depts would be more concerned with them than roofs.

Our property is 7m wide, so given that most ASHP's are over a metre wide, we would need permission, and we have a side drive. It may be smaller, but our A2A outside unit is quieter I believe, than the gas flue when the boiler is working hard. Times are changing, so hopefully rules will too, soon.

[sharpener]

Yeah I was thinking the same about panels mounted landscape. I'm most surprised at PD for wall mounted panels. I think they can/could look excellent, but simply assumed planning depts would be more concerned with them than roofs.

It's a pity, they would be almost un-noticeable against the dark slate cladding on our loft conversion. But since then we have re-roofed the conservatory below it, the time to have done it was when there was no roof on it at all, now access is v difficult.

Our property is 7m wide, so given that most ASHP's are over a metre wide, we would need permission, and we have a side drive. It may be smaller, but our A2A outside unit is quieter I believe, than the gas flue when the boiler is working hard. Times are changing, so hopefully rules will too, soon.

Yes, we had someone who quoted for a Stiebel Eltron, they have a truly massive footprint. In the end we went for a twin fan Vaillant, they are tall but narrow and require only 200mm clearance at rear, ideal form factor for a narrow site.