Following lengthy conversations with St Albans Greens, St Albans Council has improved its planning guidance on how to install solar panels in St Albans district.
But it could still be clearer and more comprehensive.
So here we bring together all the guidance, including parts that the Council (for some reason) does not include.
We get lots of residents asking us about this process. We hope this helps.
General guidance for solar panel installations
If your property is in St Albans District but outside of conservation areas, you usually won’t need planning permission to install solar panels. That’s because these installations are generally considered ‘permitted development’, provided you meet the following conditions:
- Your panels must not protrude more than 20cm beyond the wall or roof slope when measured horizontally.
- Panels must not be positioned higher than the main roof ridge line or the highest point of a flat roof.
- On a flat roof, solar equipment cannot be more than 60cm above the highest part of the roof (not including the chimney).
- You should position panels, where possible, to minimise their visual impact on the appearance of your building and the surrounding area.
- You must remove panels when they’re no longer in use.
- You cannot install panels on (or in the grounds of) a listed building or scheduled monument.
Important: If you’re a leaseholder, you may need permission from your landlord, freeholder or management company before installing solar panels.
For more detailed information, refer to the legislation on permitted development
Installing solar panels in conservation areas
If you live in a conservation area, you still have permitted development rights. But there are stricter guidelines you need to follow, as well as the ones above:
- You cannot install panels on walls that face the road.
- If possible, you should install panels on rear roof slopes or flat roofs, where they won’t affect the character of the area.
- If possible you should choose panels that are less conspicuous in terms of colour and finish.
- You should arrange the panels, cables and other equipment as neatly as possible, for example in a rectangle rather than spread around the roof.
Prior approval for flat roofs in conservation areas
If you want to install solar panels on a flat roof in a conservation area, you need ‘prior approval’ from the council first.
If prior approval is refused, you’ll need full planning permission.
When to get advice
You should get pre-planning advice or apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) (stalbans.gov.uk/pre-application-advice) if:
- you’re unsure whether your planned installation complies with the rules
- your panels will be visible from a road, a pavement, or a footpath that’s wide enough for a vehicle
If you apply for an LDC, you should include details of how you have sought to minimize the impact of the panels.
Installing solar panels in Article 4 Conservation Areas
If your property is in an Article 4 Conservation Area, you will need planning permission. This applies even where permitted development rights would normally allow installation without permission.
Find out if your property is within an Article 4 Direction area
Apply for planning permission online
Key considerations for Article 4 areas:
- If your roof is visible and made of slate, you’ll probably need to use slate-like panels.
- If your roof has red clay tiles, matching red in-roof panels might be allowed in some cases.
- All black in-roof panels might be suitable for concrete roofs, while rack-mounted solutions are an option for modern flat roofs.
- If your property is near listed buildings or significant historic views, in-roof solutions might not be suitable, even if your roof is concrete.
- You have more flexibility for rear-facing roofs or roofs that aren’t visible from a road or pavement, but your design must still respect the area’s character.
Make sure any cabling and equipment are discreetly positioned – for example, behind rainwater pipes or in boxing at ground level.