Four new types of prior approval application for solar developments

[edit] New online application types for solar-related prior approval

The Planning Portal has announced that the four most recent types of prior approval application, for solar developments, are planned to be available on Planning Portal from 5 September 2024.

The four new online application types to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed:

• Installation or alteration of solar equipment on domestic premises
• Installation or alteration etc of stand-alone solar equipment on domestic premises
• Installation or alteration etc of stand-alone solar equipment on non-domestic premises
• Installation etc of a solar canopy on non-domestic, off-street parking

These provide more scope for solar panel installations on buildings (or in the curtilage of a building) and in non-domestic off-street parking areas without needing full or householder planning permission.

The Planning Portal describe the criteria for requiring a prior approval application for these types of solar developments as being quite complex. The requirement is mainly there to ensure that the local authority can consider proposals when they will impact certain designated areas (as per details below).

In certain cases, an application may not be required at all, in other cases an application for planning permission maybe needed where the limitations of the relevant permitted developments rights are exceeded. This, alongside all the other limitations and conditions, have been built into the content and logic for each of the new types. If prior approval is not the correct route, the system will advise applicants rather than allowing submission of an invalid/ineligible application.

[edit] Installation or alteration of solar equipment on domestic premises

A prior approval application is only required where the solar equipment would be installed on the flat roof of a building in the following areas: a conservation area; an area of outstanding natural beauty; an area specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside; the Broads; a National Park; a World Heritage Site.

[edit] Installation or alteration etc of stand-alone solar equipment on domestic premises

A prior approval application is only required where the stand-alone solar equipment would be placed between the building and a highway, in a conservation area.

[edit] Installation or alteration etc of stand-alone solar equipment on non-domestic premises

A prior approval application is only required where the stand-alone solar equipment would be placed between the building and a highway, in the following areas: a conservation area; an area of outstanding natural beauty; an area specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside; the Broads; a National Park; a World Heritage Site.

[edit] What does this mean for local authorities?

Once introduced, applicants will be able to create and submit these new types of online application where they meet the required eligibility criteria. However, in most cases the legacy integrations between Planning Portal and local authority development management IT systems will not support the automated retrieval of them.

Therefore, local authority staff will need to access their LPA admin account on Planning Portal to download these applications manually once they receive a notification that one has been submitted.

The information contained in this article appears on the Planning Portal Blog as 'New online application types for solar-related prior approval' dated August 23, 2024.

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