planning required for Solar Heating ?

Have received planning permission for a large extension to my house, have been thinking about the heating and would like to investigate the possibility of solar panels for heating teh water. I have a few questions on this,
1. Do you have to planning permission to install solar panels on roof,
2. Does it matter from a planning point of view whether panels are at front, back side (aka Sat dishes)
3. For a 1900 sqft home with 3baths what sive in m2 would be sufficeint to generate hot water
4. What size water tank would be required
5. Any ideas of the cost of such a system - panels, wiring, piping etc
6. What is the best location for them - South Facing, SW Facing ?
7. Experiences of the systems, what savings are to be had, what payback period and would it add value/appeal to buyers if were to sell on at a later date

Any other think to be considered.

Thanks in advance,

Have a look at :

http://www.sei.ie/

Good info and details on the grants available.

thanks, have already looked at the website, but doesn't mention planning reqs, or costs for systems etc. so am hoping someone from experience will be able to shed some light on it.

Anyone have any info on this? I'm sure this is gonna come up a good few times!!

We were told by DunLaoghaire Rathdown CC that Planning permission was needed for all solar panels.
A friend of mine was told by South Dublin CC that if it was on the back of the house, they would not require PP.
Neither of us have formally applied yet, so I'll keep you informed.

Any updates on this - DO you need planning permission for solar panels?

Also does anyone know anything about wind turbines? Do you need planning and are they worth it?

Re: Solar panels. I phoned DLRCC during the summer and the guy (planner?) I spoke with did not seem very familiar with solar panels. I explained they were similar in appearance to velux windows - it was the best comparison I could think of. Anyway, his 'conculsion' was that planning permission would be required for the front of the house.

I haven't applied yet but intend to later this year.

I do not believe it should not be necessary to get planning permission to put a solar panel anywhere on the roof, front or back. On what grounds can anyone object? There ought to be a lot more encouragement for the use of solar panels and not a necessity to go through the usual red tape.

I asked our architect about putting them on the back of our house and he said PP wasn't needed if they go on the back.

Check out this link

It would appear that our friends in the LA planning dept don't know themselves - what a surprise! Green party are seeking confirmation on the issue...


[broken link removed]

Hi,

For anyone interested in the planning situation with regard to solar panels, I was just on to Fingal Co Co Planning Department and they advise that since the passing of new legislation, specifically SI 83 of 2007, there is an exemption to planning for solar panels on a private dwelling. The main condition applying to this exemption is that they should not be more than 12msq, or 50 % of the total roof area of the house, whichever is less.

I specifically asked whether there was a differentiation between back and front of roof and he said no, that while they used to differentiate on same basis as Velux windows, since the new regs came in all solar panels within the conditions are exempt.

heres the legislation:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Legislation/DevelopmentandHousing/Planning/FileDownLoad,1486,en.pdf

its on page 3

The installation or erection of a solar panel
on, or within the curtilage of a house, or
any buildings within the curtilage of a house.

1. The total aperture area of any such panel,​

taken together with any other such panel
previously placed on or within the said
curtilage, shall not exceed 12 square metres or
50% of the total roof area, whichever is the lesser

2. The distance between the plane of the wall
or a pitched roof and the panel shall not
exceed 15 centimetres.
3. The distance between the plane of a flat
roof and the panel shall not exceed 50
centimetres.
4. The solar panel shall be a minimum of 50cm
from any edge of the wall or roof on which it
is mounted.
5. The height of a free-standing solar array
shall not exceed 2 metres, at its highest point,
above ground level.
6. A free-standing solar array shall not be
placed on or forward of the front wall of a
house.
7. The erection of any free standing solar array
shall not reduce the area of private open
space, reserved exclusively for the use of the
occupants of the house, to the rear or to the
side of the house to less than 25 square​

metres.