Legislation for Solar PV

alesironi · 12-11-2020 3:15pm #1

Hi Everyone

sorry if the topic has already been discussed - I quickly searched with no luck.
I'm looking to add PV to my house, current rules are very restricting (I have a large roof but in my case I could not install more than 12 square meters of panels).
I understood as well

that recently a woman in Limerick, after been forced to remove 14 panels (out of 21), she appealed and won being able to restore them, creating an important precedent (even if she had to pay legal fees for the case)
that the government is possibly looking to amend this rule in 2021 but as far as this is implemented we will stick with the previous rules

I have the possibility to install 8-9 panels on the SE side of my roof leaving enough space at the borders, but this would be more than 12 Square Meters (more or less 15 Square meters).
I do not know how much would it take (time and money) to apply for permission but my doubt is: what should I do? wait until the rules are amended? or makes sense to apply for permissions (assuming it's not a complex/expensive process)?

thanks for any recommendation

Gumbo · 12-11-2020 4:12pm

Where are you based?

It will take 4 months to apply for planning and start putting them on your roof.
If you can’t wait then your options include :

1. Wait for the planning legislation to change. It’s due.
2. Put in an exempt array and the facilities to simply add the additional panels once planning changes.
3. Just fire them all up and to hell with this rule.

I know what I would do, and what I have already done

Winterman1234 · 12-11-2020 4:13pm

Unless you have fallen out with your neighbors or plan to sell the house in the next couple of years, I would just go ahead and install without planning, although I know this is against the law. There are lots of house with more than 12 square meters installed and I doubt they applied for permission. Planning cost should be around €65?(not sure on this) and then pay someone to prepare drawings. Other people on here might have a different opinion.

DrPhilG · 12-11-2020 4:41pm

Can you apply retrospectively?

I had about half a dozen different installers at the house to quote me, and all said that they had either never had a customer actually apply for planning, or had only had 1 or 2.

alesironi · 12-11-2020 5:34pm

thanks everyone for the recomendations.

on another note, I know if I stay within the rules I do not need planning permission but is it correct to assume it's a non written rule just to tell the neighbours (in particular the one beside me, it's a semidetach)?

SouthWesterly · 12-11-2020 5:53pm

alesironi wrote: »

thanks everyone for the recomendations.

on another note, I know if I stay within the rules I do not need planning permission but is it correct to assume it's a non written rule just to tell the neighbours (in particular the one beside me, it's a semidetach)?

It's probably just good manners since you share a roof

BryanF · 13-11-2020 10:09pm

Winterman1234 wrote: »

Unless you have fallen out with your neighbors or plan to sell the house in the next couple of years, I would just go ahead and install without planning, although I know this is against the law. There are lots of house with more than 12 square meters installed and I doubt they applied for permission. Planning cost should be around €65?(not sure on this) and then pay someone to prepare drawings. Other people on here might have a different opinion.

No more of this. We obey the law in this forum. Thanks

Legislation for Solar PV

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