Green Building Forum - PV Panel Retrospective Planning Sat, 30 May 2026 09:12:53 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190478#Comment_190478 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190478#Comment_190478 Fri, 29 Nov 2013 15:28:44 +0000 Ed Davies PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190480#Comment_190480 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190480#Comment_190480 Fri, 29 Nov 2013 15:52:35 +0000 csc PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190511#Comment_190511 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190511#Comment_190511 Fri, 29 Nov 2013 22:05:48 +0000 borpin Posted By: cscThe phone call I received was from the planning officer dealing with the case. I have asked for written confirmation and awaiting for it to arrive. Hopefully it will come tomorrow and see how they have worded it. Will consider getting a certificate of lawful development. I suspect the certificate is not something that is widely known about, so asking him for it will probably put him even further on the back foot :bigsmile:]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190521#Comment_190521 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=190521#Comment_190521 Fri, 29 Nov 2013 23:55:33 +0000 tony PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191301#Comment_191301 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191301#Comment_191301 Tue, 10 Dec 2013 22:02:08 +0000 Dominic Cooney
An application for a certificate is the same price as a planning application if you apply after the installation (or development) has taken place. It's only half the price if you do it before you start the work. That's why I'm always telling folks to do it beforehand - its cheaper and takes away any potential stress later on once you have that Certificate in your hands. The certificate is a legal document saying its PD - there's no argument with that.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191308#Comment_191308 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191308#Comment_191308 Tue, 10 Dec 2013 23:14:41 +0000 Ed Davies Posted By: Dominic CooneyAn application for a certificate is the same price as a planning application if you apply after the installation (or development) has taken place.That's worth knowing, thanks.

Pity, though, that the system is set up to pressure people towards getting paperwork for things parliament has specifically said they shouldn't have to.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191310#Comment_191310 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191310#Comment_191310 Tue, 10 Dec 2013 23:53:26 +0000 Peter_in_Hungary Posted By: Ed Davies
Posted By: Dominic CooneyAn application for a certificate is the same price as a planning application if you apply after the installation (or development) has taken place.
That's worth knowing, thanks.

Pity, though, that the system is set up to pressure people towards getting paperwork for things parliament has specifically said they shouldn't have to.

I thought it was designed to give the planning depts. an additional revenue stream :devil::devil:]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191321#Comment_191321 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191321#Comment_191321 Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:02:04 +0000 billt
£172 for a householder application isn't going to cover costs even for a simple application; half of that for pretty much the same work is going to lose them even more. All it does is add to the planning department workload and increase delays.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191323#Comment_191323 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191323#Comment_191323 Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:11:17 +0000 joe90 ]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191330#Comment_191330 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191330#Comment_191330 Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:39:17 +0000 Ed Davies Posted By: joe90It really annoyes me that rules for permitted development are ambiguous, why should someone have to pay for confirmation of what was meantYep, those living in England and Wales ought to be lobbying their MPs to get this clarified. Probably not worth bothering with another SI just for this but if anything else needs changing then that paragraph could usefully be changed to say that siting doesn't include sizing.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191601#Comment_191601 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191601#Comment_191601 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 22:11:02 +0000 Dominic Cooney Posted By: billtIt might be a revenue stream, but it won't be profitable.


I have said this many times also.
The planning fee will not cover the cost of processing the application, even the full fee.

Unless they get the apprentice to do it.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191602#Comment_191602 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191602#Comment_191602 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 22:15:03 +0000 tony PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191614#Comment_191614 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191614#Comment_191614 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 09:26:34 +0000 billt
In July I applied for permission to erect a ground mounted PV array. As simple as it's possible to get and not visible from any public area, but it still took 5 weeks more than the statutory 8 weeks to get approval. The excuse given was that the officer dealing with this application was suffering from stress due to excess workload.

Of course the LA in question are cutting about half their staff for reasons of economy and the planning department won't be immune, so the workload will increase.

The fact that most of the workload consists of trivial applications that shouldn't need PP is not the fault of the LA.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191617#Comment_191617 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191617#Comment_191617 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 10:15:55 +0000 Ed Davies Posted By: billtThe fact that most of the workload consists of trivial applications that shouldn't need PP is not the fault of the LA.But the point of this thread is that this would be a trivial application which (arguably) doesn't need PP. It's the LA that's insisting it does.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191618#Comment_191618 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191618#Comment_191618 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 10:52:58 +0000 billt
I'd guess that the LA only got involved after the complaint and had to be seen to be doing something, rather than a revenue raising exercise.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191651#Comment_191651 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191651#Comment_191651 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:58:10 +0000 Triassic
A self builder in our village, building on an infill plot, was told his planning application for a 130 m2 affordable home with a local residency clause was above the limit of 100 m2, so was rejected. A revised application was then made at 100m2 and a new planner questioned the original decision as there is no local size limit, resulting in 12 months delay, planning fees, architects time and costs wasted.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191802#Comment_191802 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191802#Comment_191802 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 21:41:14 +0000 djh Posted By: TriassicA self builder in our village, building on an infill plot, was told his planning application for a 130 m2 affordable home with a local residency clause was above the limit of 100 m2, so was rejected. A revised application was then made at 100m2 and a new planner questioned the original decision as there is no local size limit, resulting in 12 months delay, planning fees, architects time and costs wasted.
Surely the applicant and his architect should have known that and objected at the time? The rejection should have listed the policies that were relevant, so all that had to be done was read them after the event to know something was wrong even if they hadn't properly prepared their performance in advance.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191813#Comment_191813 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191813#Comment_191813 Wed, 18 Dec 2013 00:54:34 +0000 Triassic PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191861#Comment_191861 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191861#Comment_191861 Wed, 18 Dec 2013 15:52:09 +0000 djh Posted By: TriassicApparently the policy was set to limit the size of affordable homes but was challenged by another self builder and it was accepted as being unenforceable, however no one In planning thought to tell those whose applications had been refused under the policy. At the same time there was an attempt to limit the resale value of affordable homes and subject them to an inflation escalator of 5%pa limit, again this was rejected as being unenforceable.
Fair enough. It doesn't sound like an example of a lack of a consistent approach though, just changes in policy that the applicant could have kept up with.]]> PV Panel Retrospective Planning https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191864#Comment_191864 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11421&Focus=191864#Comment_191864 Wed, 18 Dec 2013 16:01:55 +0000 Triassic Posted By: djhpolicy that the applicant could have kept up with. Easier said than done!!]]>