Ministers extend fast track planning rules for rooftop solar

The government has extended ‘fast track’ planning rules for installing rooftop solar panels.

Changes to permitted development rights (PDR) rules, unveiled on Thursday (30 November), will enable more homeowners and businesses to install solar panels on their roofs without having to go through the planning system.

Under the PDR regime, applicants can seek permission for development without having to submit a full-blown planning application.

The changes will enable solar panels to be installed on homes with flat roofs without requiring planning permission, in line with the rules for businesses.

They will also see the scrapping of current rules, which require businesses to apply for planning permission if they wish to install solar panels with a generation capacity of more than 1MW.

A further change will make it easier for panels to be installed in canopies above car parks, if they are more than ten meters away from peoples’ homes.

Lee Rowley, housing and planning minister, said: “We must make sure our homes are fit for the future and can help us meet our net zero ambitions.

“By cutting red-tape in the planning system we can make sure homeowners and businesses can install solar panels without being held up by costly delays. Crucially, these permitted development rights are still subject to important conditions, including their use in conservation areas.”

Welcoming the move, Solar Energy UK chief executive, Chris Hewett said: “The potential of installing solar power on large commercial rooftops is vast, its prospective capacity having been estimated at 15 gigawatts across the country. So eliminating one of the stumbling blocks on the way to fulfilling that opportunity is extremely welcome, helping to make British businesses more competitive by slashing energy bills, bolstering the economy and pushing us further towards net zero.”