Do I need planning permission for plug-in solar? England rules from 27 August 2026
SI 2026 No. 896 In force 27 August 2026 Read: 23 August 2026
The instrument
Two separate instruments come into force on the same day. The one everyone reports is SI 2026 No. 848, which is about plugs, sockets and the electricity supply rules. The one that decides where you may put the panel is this one:
- SI 2026 No. 896 — the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2026.
- Made 29 July 2026, laid before Parliament 30 July 2026, in force 27 August 2026.
- Signed by Florence Eshalomi, Minister of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The wood rule, in the order’s own words
The order adds explicit exclusions. Both are quoted here rather than paraphrased.
On a building (Class A):
“in the case of plug-in solar, where any part of the plug-in solar would be installed on a wooden wall, balcony or enclosure or on any part of the exterior of a dwellinghouse where that part is clad in timber”
Standalone in the garden (Class B):
“in the case of plug-in solar, any part of the plug-in solar would be installed on a wooden fence, gate, wall or other means of enclosure”
Millions of British homes have a wooden garden fence, and hanging a panel on it is the obvious first idea. It is not covered by permitted development. The same goes for wooden balconies and timber-clad houses. None of this makes the installation illegal — it means you would need a normal planning application rather than relying on permitted development.
The product specification lands on the same answer for timber from a completely different direction — fire performance rather than planning. See where you may not install one on our legal page.
How far it may stick out
| Where | Maximum projection |
|---|---|
| Wall that fronts a highway | 0.2 metres |
| Wall elsewhere | 0.4 metres |
| Balcony or roof enclosure fronting a highway | 0.2 metres |
| Balcony or roof enclosure elsewhere | 0.4 metres |
| Pitched roof | 0.2 metres above the slope, and never above the highest part of the roof (excluding a chimney) |
| Flat roof | 0.6 metres above the highest part |
Where it is excluded outright
- Conservation area or World Heritage Site — not on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure that fronts a highway.
- Listed building — not permitted, for houses and for blocks of flats alike.
- Scheduled monument — not permitted.
Standing in the garden, not on the house
A standalone installation in the grounds falls under Class B, with its own limits. The panel area may not exceed 9 square metres, and the height limit depends on where it stands:
| Position | Maximum height |
|---|---|
| Forward of the principal elevation and within 5 m of a boundary | 1 m |
| Within 5 m of a boundary | 2 m |
| In a conservation area, nearer the highway than the house | 2 m |
| Any other case | 4 m |
If you were about to install one anyway
There is a transitional provision. Anything that was permitted development before the order came into force, and ceases to be permitted because of it, may still be carried out up to the end of 26 August 2027.
Which nations this covers
SI 2026 No. 896 extends to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own planning regimes, and this order does not set them — we are not going to guess what applies there. The electrical instrument has a different footprint again: parts of SI 2026 No. 848 reach Northern Ireland while others do not, which our legal page sets out.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission for plug-in solar in England?
For most homes, no - from 27 August 2026 the amended permitted development rules cover plug-in solar on a house, within limits. But the limits are real: the panel must not project more than 0.2 metres where the wall or balcony fronts a highway, or 0.4 metres elsewhere, and several situations are excluded outright.
Can I put a plug-in solar panel on my garden fence?
Not under permitted development. The order excludes, in its own words, installing any part of the plug-in solar on a wooden fence, gate, wall or other means of enclosure. A wooden fence is the first place many people think of, and it is precisely what the rules carve out - so it would need a normal planning application.
What about a wooden balcony or timber cladding?
Also excluded. For installations on a building the order excludes a wooden wall, balcony or enclosure, or any part of the exterior of a dwellinghouse where that part is clad in timber. The product specification reaches the same result by a different route, on fire-safety grounds.
I could install it before 27 August 2026 - can I still?
There is a transitional provision. Anything that was permitted development before the order comes into force, and stops being permitted because of it, may still be carried out up to the end of 26 August 2027.
Source
- SI 2026 No. 896 — The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2026, on legislation.gov.uk. Read on 23 August 2026.
Is plug-in solar legal yet? → What to check before you buy →