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28
BCD Special Report on
Historic Churches
18th annual edition
offered was not in itself new because EH
had already published extensively on the
subject of microgeneration but this was the
first time EH had specifically addressed
the issues raised by this particular form of
microgeneration on listed places of worship.
Interestingly, there has not been the
same demand for guidance on other forms of
microgeneration or green technologies such
as ground source heat pumps and biomass
boilers, although these are increasingly being
used in places of worship. This is probably
because such installations are not usually
sited on prominent exterior elevations and
are therefore much less controversial. Also,
although such technologies are new, the issues
they raise, such as the archaeological impact
of excavations, are already familiar territory
for the denominational advisory bodies.
The big challenge of solar panels is, of
course, that they need to be exposed to
sunlight to be effective and are therefore likely
to be visible. Indeed congregations often
prefer an installation to be seen so they can
publicly demonstrate their commitment to
addressing the threat of climate change, even
where less visible alternatives are available.
Nevertheless, EH generally advises that it
is ‘not considered sympathetic to a building’s
appearance to have a solar panel or other
equipment fixed to any of its main elevations,
i.e. the face or faces seen from the principal
viewpoint, towards which it is mainly viewed’
(Small-scale solar electric (photovoltaics) energy
and traditional buildings, EH, 2008). In practice,
many places of worship in both urban and
rural locations stand in prominent positions
and have no single principal viewpoint, but
several viewpoints of equal importance.
It is hard to determine the number
of installations already achieved. A straw
poll of the denominations operating the
Ecclesiastical Exemption in England (Church
of England, Roman Catholic Church, Baptist
Union, Methodist Church and United
Reformed Church) in May 2011 revealed
only a few congregations had installed PV:
Installations on
listed buildings
Notes
C of E
30 approx Many more schemes are
under consideration.
Methodist 2
At least four listed
church buildings are
under consideration
and five unlisted
buildings have ongoing
or completed schemes.
RC
0
Each of these
denominations has
a small number of
proposals under
consideration.
Baptist
0
URC
0
Even this sketchy information shows that
although only a small number of installations
have been completed, many projects are being
developed. It is important that both secular
and ecclesiastical decision-makers, as well
as those who advise them, are consistent in
the way future applications are handled.
As is so often the case with places of
worship, those caring for them are challenged
by the tensions between their own mission
and ministry objectives and the legislation
and processes protecting listed buildings.
In addition, while the government clearly
supports measures that tackle climate change,
congregations can be surprised to learn that
this stance does not in practice override
planning and ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
The installation of either PV panels or
slates on a building may have a material
effect on its external appearance and
therefore is highly likely to require planning
permission as well as listed building consent
or equivalent denominational consent. In
England, congregations wishing to reduce
the carbon footprint of their place of worship
must address the requirements of Planning
Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy and
Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for
the Historic Environment. From these two
statements it is clear that where climate
change measures impact upon heritage assets,
the benefits to society in terms of climate
change remediation must be weighed against
the harm caused to the heritage asset.
Anyone proposing works to a listed building
is required to follow the policies set out in PPS5.
Guidance issued by the Department for Culture
Media and Sport in July 2010 (The operation
of the Ecclesiastical Exemption and related
planning matters for places of worship in
England) makes it clear that there is a specific
duty for the exempt denominations to protect
the special historic and architectural interest
Wing All Saints, Buckinghamshire, Grade I
(Photo: Martin Findlay)
‘On the understanding that the Church and all Christians have a particular
responsibility to take action to protect God’s creation, the PCC agreed to
install 54 solar PV panels on the roof of the nave and the south aisle. Panels
were duly installed and commissioned in November 2010 by ‘Freewatt’ at
a cost of £50,000, raised through grants and donations. The electricity
generated will be sold to the National Grid using the new government
feed-in tariffs and, where possible, used by the church to reduce costs.
The long-term aim is for the church to become carbon neutral and
for this project to encourage the local community to take action to
reduce the village’s carbon footprint.’
Churchwarden Martin Findlay
For more information see http://www.wing-ops.org.uk/allsaints.html
Bethesda Methodist Church,
Gloucestershire, Grade II
(Photo: Elaine Bailey)
There are 32 PV panels on the south-facing roof; they are not visible
from the main road at the front of the building. The installation cost
£39,000, raised over two years by the congregation and grants from the
Low Carbon Building Fund, the borough council and the Summerfield
Trust. It is estimated that the panels will generate 7,000kW annually.
Bethesda is a Fair Trade Church; it has given out more than 1,000 low
energy light bulbs, operates an extensive recycling scheme and runs a
carbon offset programme, which has just paid for the installation of a
solar hot water system in an AIDS orphanage in South Africa. It is part
of the national Eco-congregation network and has won three awards.
For more information see http://www.bethesda-church.org.uk