A CONTROVERSIAL decision to remove solar panels on newly-built council houses in Bury Knowle Park has been reversed by Oxford City Council.

The council announced last month (March) that it would remove “unsightly” solar panels on a new development of 10 council houses that look onto Bury Knowle Park in Headington.

Originally council spokesman Chofamba Sithole said the decision was made because residents complained about the appearance of the panels.

But now John Tanner, the council's board member for Cleaner, Greener Oxford, has said the decision was also made because the panels were breaching their original planning permission.

The planning permission was granted for panels generating electricity for the development, but these were configured to mostly feed the National Grid, he added.

Our top stories

Mr Tanner said: “It is only new developments [such as this] where planning permission is required and this was part of the planning permission. The solar panels could be part of the 20 per cent renewable energy commitment the council has made. It was discovered that some of the solar panels would be heating the houses, and the rest would be going into the grid. Then the configuration [to power the homes] was changed so the panels can now stay.”

The council’s decision to take down the solar panels sparked on online furore and led to a petition to keep them, which got 90 signatures.

Headington resident Robin Gill said: “Far from being an ‘eyesore’, solar panels are the key way forward for sustainable urban energy micro-generation in the 21st century.”

Chairman of the Friends of Old Headington Veronica Hurst, was quoted in the first story run by the Oxford Mail where she said that the panels were not sympathetic to their surroundings.

Since then, the Friends of Old Headington has received “unpleasant” comments online.

Mrs Hurst has now clarified that the preservation group was not consulted about the solar panels and had no role in the council’s decision to take them down.

She added: “The Friends recognise that the installation of solar panels represents a clash between two different goals (sustainability and conservation) which are often pursued by the same people, so it’s a genuine dilemma for the green and the heritage movements.

“The outcome in any case is that the panels are being retained but reconfigured.

"And I think it is fair to say that the new layout of the panels seems likely to be preferable to the original one.

“There is a debate to be had there and we are in contact with Low Carbon Headington and hope to discuss the matter further.”

Mr Tanner added: “I always welcome solar panels everywhere.

“We have them at our home.

“I’m only sorry that they’re on the back of the house so I can’t boast about them.”