Planning Portal announced on 23 August 2024 that four solar-related prior approval application types are now available through its online application service1. The four types cover the installation or alteration of solar equipment on domestic premises, stand-alone solar equipment on domestic and on non-domestic premises, and solar canopies on non-domestic off-street parking1.
"the four most recent types of prior approval application for solar developments, are now available on Planning Portal"
Prior approval is not needed for every installation of this kind. For solar equipment on domestic premises, an application is only required where the equipment would go on the flat roof of a building in a conservation area, an area of outstanding natural beauty, an area specified by the Secretary of State for the enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside, the Broads, a National Park or a World Heritage Site1. For stand-alone solar equipment on domestic premises, an application is only required where it would be placed between the building and a highway, in a conservation area1. For stand-alone equipment on non-domestic premises, the same highway position applies but across the wider list of designated areas1.
The criteria differ by application type:
| Application type | When prior approval is required |
|---|---|
| Solar equipment on domestic premises | Flat roof, in a conservation area, AONB, Secretary of State specified area, the Broads, National Park or World Heritage Site1 |
| Stand-alone solar equipment on domestic premises | Between the building and a highway, in a conservation area1 |
| Stand-alone solar equipment on non-domestic premises | Between the building and a highway, in a conservation area, AONB, Secretary of State specified area, the Broads, National Park or World Heritage Site1 |
| Solar canopy on non-domestic off-street parking | Not stated in the announcement1 |
Planning Portal said the limitations and conditions for each permitted development right have been built into the content and logic of the new forms, and that "If prior approval is not the correct route, the system will advise applicants rather than allowing submission of an invalid/ineligible application"1. It also said the new types provide more scope for solar installations on buildings, in the curtilage of a building, and in non-domestic off-street parking areas without needing full or householder planning permission1.
Why it matters for households
For a householder, the practical effect is that the route to a decision on certain roof and ground-mounted solar installations can now be started online rather than on paper. The eligibility rules remain the same: most rooftop solar in England falls under permitted development and needs no application at all, and prior approval only enters the picture in the designated areas listed above, or for flat roofs in those areas. The Solar Panel Planning Permission in England guide sets out the general position, and the roof protrusion limits cover how far panels may extend from a pitched roof. Separate rules apply in the devolved nations, covered in the guides for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For a home aiming at greater energy independence, the planning route is one part of the picture; the solar PV hub covers system design, and hybrid inverters and solar inverters explain how generation is converted and stored.
What happens next
Planning Portal said that in most cases the legacy integrations between Planning Portal and local authority development management IT systems will not support automated retrieval of the new applications, so local authority staff will need to download them manually from their LPA admin account after a notification of submission1. The applications are available through the current application service interface, and Planning Portal said IT suppliers have been given details and some are working to integrate with it1. No date has been reported for when automated retrieval will be in place.
Sources1 cited
- New online application types for solar-related prior approval | Planning Portal Blog, blog.planningportal.co.uk