Man, 80, gives up solar panels fight with council

An 80-year-old man has said he is giving up trying to install solar panels and insulation at his home in Essex because of rejections from the local council.

Braintree District Council refused Barry Thompson's application for six solar panels and solid wall insulation at his home in Coggeshall in 2023, and turned down another application last year.

Mr Thompson said that if he made the upgrades at this point, he would not survive to see the economic benefits anyway.

His house is in a conservation area and the council said there was not enough public benefit to approve his application.

Mr Thompson and his wife Jean have lived at the former council house for 55 years and pointed out that other homes in the street had solar panels.

He said the upgrades would have saved him £900 a year in energy bills, but explained: "Let's face it, I couldn't recoup that cost in the lifetime that I've got left."

Mr Thompson said he received a Sustainable Warmth (Green Homes Grant) in 2022, which would have paid for the panels and insulation.

The council told him he needed planning permission because the terraced house was in the conservation area.

"We lost the grant because Braintree District Council messed us about for so long - even if I did get permission, I'd have to pay for it myself," he said.

"I do feel aggrieved, and my advice to anyone who lives in a conservation area under Braintree District Council - even if they've got a grant - don't pay out hundreds of pounds putting a planning application together."

Tom Walsh, an independent district councillor for Coggeshall, pointed out that solar panels fitted to the rear of the home would not be visible from the road.

"I think the system has treated him unfairly and he's one of the nicest most courteous gentlemen that I've ever come across."

A council spokesperson said: "The proposal for solar panels and insulation was assessed to result in less than substantial harm to the designated heritage asset.

"This level of harm can only be accepted when it is outweighed by public benefit.

"In this case, it was not demonstrated that the proposal would generate sufficient public benefits to justify an approval of the submitted planning application."

Braintree District Council declared a climate emergency in 2019.

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