The Housing Forum has responded to the Health and Safety Executive’s review of fire safety raising concerns about the impact that the proposed changes to fire safety rules on solar PV could have on fitting solar PV on smaller roofs. We are concerned that the increased distances from roof edges, features and neighbouring properties will reduce the number of solar panels that can fit on a roof, and that for smaller properties (terraced houses in particular), this may mean that no solar panels at all are viable.
We are concerned that this will impact many of our social landlord members’ efforts to reduce tenants’ bills by fitting solar panels. It will also reduce the contribution of solar to the UK’s decarbonisation efforts and mean that landlords (both private and social) are more likely to be unable to reach the EPC C requirement, and/or will have to spend more money on less effective measures. It will also make it impossible for many newbuild homes to have the amount of solar panels that the Government wishes to see, so is incompatible with the Future Homes Standard.
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 for solar panels on smaller roofs.
Read the responseDate:
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