Solar panels on non-domestic buildings and land may be permitted development, meaning you don’t need to apply to the local planning authority, but there are limits and conditions that must be met to benefit from these rights.
In practice, this generally works out as follows:
- Rooftop solar on an existing farm building is more likely to qualify as permitted development, provided it meets size and siting conditions.
- Ground-mounted, farm-scale solar arrays almost always need a full planning application, as they represent a significant change of land use that the local authority needs to assess.
- Land in a National Park, AONB, or conservation area, or involving a listed building, is subject to tighter restrictions and may need planning permission even where a similar installation elsewhere wouldn’t.
Because rules vary by site and local authority, it’s worth checking with your local planning authority or getting professional advice before committing to a scheme.