Solar panels on Ore church’s roof approved

Proposals to put solar panels on the roof of a listed church have been given the go ahead by Hastings planners, despite concerns around architectural conservation.

On Wednesday (March 4),  Hastings Borough Council’s planning committee approved proposals to install 30 solar panels on the roof of the Grade II listed Christ Church in Ore. 

While approved, the application saw the committee’s opinions split, with some raising concerns around its impact on the building and surrounding area. 

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Among those to raise concerns was Phil Scott (Lab, Wishing Tree) who said: “We understand the church do a wonderful job in the Ore village area, for the community and congregation and the good work they do with the food banks and everything else. 

“However the truth of the matter is I think this application is not very helpful to Ore village in terms of the impact.

“It will have a huge effect in terms of the impact on people travelling in that direction either way. I think it actually may even be a distraction because it will be such a sight, of such a size and such significance .

“The officers I think on this occasion are absolutely right when they talk about the harm to the amenity of the area.” 

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Officers had recommended the application be refused, due to concerns around the potential harm to the significance and setting of the listed building.

They said this view had been taken in balance with council planning policies encouraging green energy projects in the town, pointing to the fact a further 26 solar panels on the roof of the church hall had been approved under delegated powers.

Officers also raised concerns that the application had not looked at other potential configurations for the panels, such as installing them on the other side of the roof, which could reduce their visual impact.

Other councillors felt less concerned over this argument, however, citing the council’s recent environmental pledges and declaration of a climate emergency.

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Mike Edwards (Conservative, Ashdown) said: “I have a lot of sympathy with the planning office. They are seeking to implement the rules that exist today.

“The trouble is that the rules that exist at the moment are not keeping pace with the way the world is developing. 

“I am not one to use excitable words like emergency and crisis, but I think we all understand there is a problem with the environment today and it is time we acted with great speed to recognise that situation.”

Meanwhile, Central St Leonards councillor Ruby Cox (Lab) argued that the solar panels’ position was a positive, as it would act as an example for other organisations in the town.

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Cllr Cox said: “In putting these solar panels in such a prominent position it is actually setting an example and saying ‘look, this is leading the way this is what we need to be doing’.

“I think that is to be applauded. I think it is an incredibly progressive and farsighted view and I absolutely applaud [the church] for that.

“Every single person here, all the members here, we all voted to say there is a climate change emergency and we are going to do everything we could to address it. 

“I keep going back to that quote from Greta Thunberg, the house is on fire and we haven’t got time to sit here thinking about things we would not do given the choice and other circumstances.

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“If we don’t get on with doing something about it then the whole of Hastings will be underwater and it won’t matter if it is a listed building or whatever the hell it is.”

This argument saw some pushback from Sorrell Marlow-Eastwood (Con, Ashdown), however, who urged the committee to be more cautious.

She said: “No one at all in this room would think for a split second that it wasn’t important that we got as much green energy into this town as we can.

“Absolutely the house is on fire, but that doesn’t mean you grab the nearest thing, which could be petrol, to put it out. You think sensibly about your next action, you don’t just jump and I think that is what we need to do.

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“It would be lovely to have solar energy on the church roof but we haven’t even got the details about whether it would work out of sight, so it is not upsetting anyone [and] not damaging the appearance of the church at all.”

Ultimately the committee rejected the officer’s recommendation and approved the application (with conditions) on a vote of six in favour to four against.