Proposal for Solar Panels on Historic Church Roof

New proposals outline the potential installation of nearly 50 solar panels on the roof of a church dating back to the 19th century. Westborough Methodist Church, situated in Scarborough, has submitted an application to incorporate 48 panels onto the Grade II listed structure and to place a battery storage system within its sub-basement. Documentation submitted for planning indicates that the panels would not interfere with the current slates and would remain out of sight from ground level. The project’s expenses would be partially covered by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Net Zero Fund. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reports that due to the church’s active operational status, it qualifies for ecclesiastical exemption, “which means an application for listed building consent is not required.” The applicant stated: “The use of high quality and visually equivalent materials means there is little if any impact on the conservation area and less than substantial harm to the listed building.” “The installation of solar PV panels is evidence of the church’s commitment to climate justice and to reduce our carbon footprint.” North Yorkshire Council has yet to establish a decision date for the application, which is presently awaiting review.