Industry body, The Housing Forum, has raised concerns that the Health and Safety Executive's review of fire safety risks significantly reducing capacity for solar PV, especially on smaller roofs.
The Housing Forum - who represent members across the housing supply chain including social landlords, housebuilders and manufacturers - is concerned that the proposals to increase minimum distances from roof edges, roof features and neighbouring properties will reduce the number of solar panels that can fit on a roof.
For smaller properties - terraced houses in particular - this may mean that no solar panels at all are viable.
Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Housing Forum said: “The proposed new rules would significantly reduce the number of solar panels that can fit on a roof - This will mean that people in small terraced houses find they cannot fit a useful number of panels. It will hit of our social landlord members' efforts to reduce tenants' bills by fitting solar panels and will mean that landlords (both private and social) are less able to reach the EPC C requirement, or will have to spend more money on less effective measures.
“There is clearly a policy clash here with the Future Homes Standard - which expects the large majority of newbuild homes to have solar equivalent to 40% of their footprint.
“Reducing the capacity for rooftop solar will also reduce the contribution of solar to the UK's decarbonisation efforts, and mean that more panels will need to be built on fields and other locations if they cannot be built on roofs.
“We urge the Health and Safety Executive to work closely with colleagues who have been developing the Future Homes Standard, and colleagues within DESNZ who are overseeing the Warm Homes Plan to find ways to ensure safety alongside a future that maximises the potential for rooftop solar.”
The Housing Forum's full response to the consultation can be found here.
