News from Green Party Clifton councillors Paula O’Rourke and
Jerome Thomas
Solar panels
Clifton residents will soon be able to add solar panels to their roofs without having to apply for planning permission to do so.
For many years, our email inboxes have been receiving correspondence from Clifton residents who want to reduce the cost of energy bills, and reduce pressure on the planet, by retrofitting their period property. However, living in a conservation area means that planning permission, or a Certificate of Lawfulness, is needed to add solar panels, or to upgrade single glazed windows or replace a gas boiler with a heat pump. We were convinced that these changes could be managed better.
Paula, who sits on the Development Control Committee (Planning), argued that a set of regulations, setting out clear parameters of what is acceptable and what is not, could lead to a streamlining of retrofitting heritage properties. This would take pressure off the over-stretched planning department (giving them time to assess the development proposals that really need planning approval) and mean that residents would not incur fees, which add to the cost of retrofitting and are just another hurdle for homeowners to jump over.
New policy coming soon
As Green councillors, we are, of course, keen to facilitate retrofitting, and want to make it easy for residents to add solar panels to their roofs, to change-out gas boilers for heat pumps and double/triple glaze windows in Grade II and Grade II* buildings.
So, we argued hard for a policy to be written that would define a clear set of regulations covering all three new green energy-saving systems and allow residents to get on with the changes they want to make without the cost of going through planning.
The Head of Planning has decided that it would be better to implement the changes iteratively, so it begins with solar panels on roofs. There is merit in this method, as we want to preserve the character of the area while, making it easier for residents to move to greener ways to heat their homes.
Bristol City Council in their consultation say, “We are delighted to announce that Bristol City Council is proposing a Local Listed Building Consent Order for the Clifton Conservation Area. Subject to conditions outlined in the Order this would remove the need for listed building consent to add rooftop solar panels to residential grade II and II* listed properties in the area.
The aim is to remove unnecessary planning barriers for residents aiming to help the city meet its net zero climate targets. This is being trialled for the Clifton area where a large proportion of the city’s listed buildings are located. If the trial proves a success, then it is proposed to roll out the approach to other neighbourhoods subject to further consultation.”
To reassure residents who might fear unsightly panels on some of our favourite buildings, we can assure you that the policy would only allow for consent (without planning permission) for solar panels that can’t be seen from the highway, are not higher than any part of the building, does not protrude beyond the building. Full details can be read of the conditions of the Order on the Consultation hub on the Bristol City Council website. The area and properties covered by the draft Order is defined in the map below.
There is a need for a careful balance between making it easy for property owners to retrofit while, at the same time, preserving the heritage of the area. It is expected that this new sensible policy will be introduced at the May Planning Committee meeting.
Surface dressing
The annual process of surface dressing our streets has started again. It is always a source of complaint, as drivers fail to notice the signs telling them to park elsewhere and ignore traffic cones placed in parking bays … and then wonder why their car is no longer where they left it and why the road is covered in irritating stone chippings!
To remind everyone, this is done as a way to extend the life of the road surface and to reduce the number of potholes that need filling.
While it is annoying, it is necessary. What has not been understood to be necessary in previous years is the lag in time between the new surface being put down and the lines being re-painted. This has often caused traffic chaos, as, with no restrictions, drivers park everywhere. We have been promised that this will not be happening this year. So, fingers crossed for good weather so that they can get on with it.
Electric buses
Jerome in his role as Chair of the West of England (WECA) Scrutiny Committee is pleased to be helping with the improved working relationships between the local authorities and local councillors in the region in the last year.
The fruits of these improved working relationships are recently most obvious with the announcement that that WECA has secured a very significant Government grant (over £20m) for electrification of our buses.
So in the near future 50% of the region’s local buses (160 out of 320 in total) will be battery powered and running on electricity, contributing to cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions!
Contact us
Jerome Thomas: cllr.jerome.thomas@bristol.gov.uk
Paula O’Rourke: cllr.paula.orourke@bristol.gov.uk