More than 100 solar panels set to be placed at Carlisle industrial estate

PLANS to place 128 solar panels at a Carlisle industrial estate have been allowed by Cumberland Council’s planning department after it was decided prior approval was not required.

The application was for a site on the Burgh Road Industrial Estate. The proposal is for 45w panels on a south-west elevation with a 50kw inverter generator.

According to the application form Active Energy Advisers NW has submitted the proposal and the solar photovoltaic equipment would be placed on a pitched roof of one of the units at the estate.

The form adds that the panels would not protrude more than 0.2 metres beyond the plane of the roof slope and not come within 1m of the external edge of the roof.

The decision to approve planning permission was made on Monday, March 31, and, according to a planning report the solar equipment will be installed on the south-west facing elevations of the roof to the section of the building the rear of the plot.

It states: “The building is located within an industrial estate and is not immediately adjacent to any domestic properties.

“The building is also configured in an L-shape and the panels are proposed to the section of the building furthest from the highway, on the roof slope facing the highway.

“Overall, the design and nature of the proposal is acceptable in relation to the industrial use of the site and the solar panels would not detract from the character or appearance of the area.”

And, relating to the impact of glare on occupiers of neighbouring land, it says the solar panels will face towards the wider industrial site and the nearest residential properties are more than 210m from the roof slope that the proposed solar panels will be sited on.

The report concludes: “In overall terms, the principle of the development is acceptable.”