Solar Panels on Leanto

NugentS · Jul 25, 2022

Hi,
I am considering building a lean to against the rear of my house starting just under the top windows, down to just over the bottom windows across the width of the house. No walls, just some oversized posts and built solid
Depth will be about 3m.
Decked roof with IKO Armourglass Plus Square Butt Roofing Shingles (or similar)
As its a pitched roof I can then put a 3*3 array of solar panels on the pitched roof. That should get me an additional <4kw to help charge my batteries
I would use a seperate inverter (to my MCS FiTS inverter) that can control output to the grid as I don't want to exceed my current export limit (which I never get anywhere near anyway)

To the experts here I have two questions:
1. DNO - I assume I have to inform the DNO that I am doing this - but that shouldn't cause an issue with an export limit - am I correct?
2. Planning Permission - I believe the lean to falls under permitted development (there are no trees or similar, back of the house etc) and I also believe that a picthed roof doesn't need planning permission either. Does anyone have any comments on my belief.

Any other comments welcome

binky · Jul 25, 2022

DNO correct, but inform them first.

Planning I'm not so sure about, sounds no different to adding a conservatory, or car port. How would it affect your neighbors, if at all, and are they likely to complain?

Berserkerboy · Jul 25, 2022

Just email planning and give them a drawing with dimensions etc. I used libre office draw. Doesn't need to be an architectural quality drawing. I found this was acceptable with planning in Carmarthenshire.
From what you describe, I reckon they'll just come back and tell you it comes under permitted development. If not, you'll need planning, but the process is quite an easy DIY project.