Application:
25/00645/SP56 | Application for prior approval for the installation of 36no. Solar Photovoltaics (PV) equipment and railings and roof edge protection on the roof of non-domestic building. | Blue Boar House 5 Blue Boar Street Oxford Oxfordshire OX1 4EE
Our Response:
April 2025
While we support this planning application in principle, we have a number of concerns relating to its impact on views across the city.
Investment in renewable energy infrastructure will play a critical role in achieving the government’s plan to reduce the UK domestic carbon account by 100% by 2050. We support the use of existing buildings to house infrastructure, such as Solar Photovoltaic panels, where there is no adverse effect on the public realm.
Due to the lack of supporting evidence, we do not know how visible the proposed panels will be in elevated views across the city. We would like to see a view impact assessment to measure the impact of this scheme from key publicly accessible views from the city centre, such as Carfax Tower and St Marys Tower. This should form a part of any application proposing to make additions to the roofscape within the centre of the city.