Building Regulations Consent For Solar Panels

Since a change in legislation in april 2008 the installation of solar panels has been deemed permitted development and therefore planning permission is not required unless the building is listed or in a conservation area.

Building regulations consent for solar panels.

The ability of the existing roof to carry the load weight of the panel will need to be checked and proven. There are some exceptions to this but for the purposes of this practice note the installation of pv panels to generate electricity does not require a building consent. You will need to check that your roof is capable of supporting the additional weight that comes with the solar panels. Stand alone solar equipment panels not on a building but within the grounds of a house or a block of flats.

The property may be in a special interest or heritage zone. Building regulations regardless of whether or not planning permission is required for the installation of your solar panels the installation itself is still subject to standard building regulations. Generally speaking energy work does not require a building consent. To qualify as a standalone solar system the panels have to be at least 5 metres from the property.

Being in a conservation area does not in itself stop you from an installation. There s a size restriction of 9m2 for any standalone arrays. Some strengthening work may be needed. If you wish to install a solar panel on your roof building regulations will normally apply.

The key areas are structural safetyof a building part a and electrical safetyof a building part p. Refer s 43 of the building act 2004. Solar panel installations have to pass standard building regulationsfor the property it s a legal requirement for many home improvements. Building regulations also apply to other aspects of the work such as electrical installation.

You might need a resource consent. Building consents are no longer be needed for a number of new or expanded types of low risk building work like sleep outs sheds carports outdoor fireplaces and ground mounted solar panels. The new exemptions will save building owners time and money by not having to go to their local council for consent for common building projects. As solar installations aren t considered as building work a building consent is not required but can be applied for voluntarily.

Adding the photovoltaic panels on the roof may affect height to boundary restrictions.