New online application types for solar-related prior approval

Planning Portal are passionate about supporting sustainability initiatives within the built environment in any way we can.

We welcomed the expansion of solar provisions into permitted development rights last year; making solar power more accessible is an essential step on the journey towards achieving national emission targets and environmental goals. Solar also presents a great money-saving solution for homeowners and developers alike.

As such, we are very pleased to announce that the four most recent types of prior approval application for solar developments, are now available on Planning Portal.

The four new online application types are as follows:

Application 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.

When will you need to make a prior approval application?

The criteria for requiring a prior approval application for these types of solar developments are quite complex.

Mainly, the requirement is 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 others you may instead need to apply for planning permission if you wish to exceed the limitations of the relevant permitted developments right.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Information on how to do this is contained within our LPA Admin guide.

The applications will be available via our current application service interface. IT suppliers have been provided details of this, and some are currently working to integrate with it, so please contact us and them if you wish to discuss further – communications@planningportal.co.uk