[cloddopper]

Well a day late because i=of really inclement wet weather and the 16 panel PV array is fitted up & working

 They did the final bits for commissioning just as the light was falling to dusk at 1650.  Still a few unrelated things to sort out tomorrow morning  but the main job is done.
 We went out virtually as the guys left .. pleasantly surprise on our return to see that in the remaining light 51 watts were registered as being produced .
 
Peter the company owner of Amgen Renewables said that the latest panels were a lot more effective than those of a year ago and the same with the latest German made control unit. let's hope he 's right and that they stay that way.


 Not long after we got home the dog sets up a racket and we hear the gate bold clanging ( it's six bar tubular galv'd farm gate with bolt on a decent strong spring makes a real loud clang if you don't grip it right ) it gets almost everyone who comes here.
 There is a timid tap on the door and as I'm using my crutches to get up and see who it is they ring the bell as well . I popped on the hallway light ... lo and behold there is my next door neighbours man in his civil servant office suit.
 I took one look at him and knew what was coming .


" This solar thing it's an eyesore ..you have to have planning for it , It's a bloody eyesore I'm going to complain . "

 I've never had much time for fools who open their mouths and put both feet in but a middle rank civil servant who starts a spouting without checking the correctness of the facts I have even less time for .

 He was much taken aback when I said , " You don't need planning permission "

" You do" he said , "I'm going to complain "

 When I  repeated & added " You don't need planning permission but you do need to inform them of what your doing , you also have to inform building control ... do you want to see the letters " his  jaw dropped.
Had I a picture of it I'm sure it would be in an award winning class on it's own .
 I bade him, " Good evening " and started to close the door on him , for I'm not going to wasting my house heat & money  on people like that.


When he realised I was closing the door having bade him good evening  & that was as far as he was going  get he bleated , " You need planning ,  I'm going to complain "

We were about to go out again at 18.20 hrs. , & as I took pooch out on the lead to be clean in his toilet , I noticed that the woman's  father was there all huffed & puffed getting into his car...

She was stood on the step making noises of false un concern as only a person of her calibre could .


 Thankfully  I had the foresight to read the relevant doc from the county council on planning and building controls on green energy systems fitted to your roof despite what I 'd read on here.

I wrote to both them informing of my intent and asked for permission , the building control officer who opened the  building standards  control case, came to inspect and gave the go ahead for the installation to take place . He has to pass it once the full paper work is available as well .


Has anyone else had such ill informed arrogant neighbours/ busy bodies come trying to call the shots when , during or after you have had your system installed .. if so do fancy putting it on here ( without cursing  ) what eventually happened ?


 

[Small Plot Big Ideas]

An interesting post - is this roof mounted? Can the neighbour actually see the panels? I don't see what's to complain about either way as they're related inconspicuous.


Why not have a little fun and spook them by saying the wind turbine is coming next week! 



We were told by the suppliers/installers we had to apply for planning permission, perhaps that's because we are in the North Pennines AONB or maybe just because it's a ground mounted system?


The application should be sorted next week though so I'm looking forward to getting our set up installed and working!

[cloddopper]

Check by writing a letter to the BOC dept. that you get a building control officer  ( BCO) to over view the job as well just to cover you if /when you want to sell the property as well unless the BCO tells you in writing that it is not needed .

 I like the turbine idea but honestly I wouldn't waste my breath in telling them any thing that I don't need to.

 The solar water heating array will most likely get them yorping & howling yet again ..  Their ground level is three feet or so higher up the hill than we are. They can stand in their lounge and look over the top of the 2 mtr high fence directly into out lounge should she so choose.
They are welcome to ogle .. the CCTV that covers the front door & gate might or might not pick them up depending on which curtain they choose to peep out of.
  As it is I'm not interested one iota as to what they think my roof line should  or should not to suit their purile opinions or fickle feelings .

Still never, mind that's why the UK& their  devolved government's made it a no planning installation so that the green energy policy could be implemented and not held back by arrogant un neighbourly  NIMBY's.

Like friends have already said  , If they don't like it they can always sell up and move.
Though I don't think their new neighbours will be as forgiving or accommodating to their attitudes and stupidities as we are.
If the local area temperament abounds, they're much more likely to help sent them to hospital via blue lights & A&E instead of putting up with them .

Re planning .. various authorities have various rules....in conservation areas  I read that planning has to be obtained .

 If you go to the website of your local authority ( most have lots of info on line nowadays ) and put solar systems & planning or similar into their search box ,  they should be able to give you chapter & verse of it all .
Do keep copies of all letters you send and an email print out file , send all snail mail by signed for recorder ..it's not very unusual for peoples paper work to go missing and for you to have problems later on trying to prove things or produce certificates of compliance ..

It took three years for me to get the sign off certificate from building control & planning for the commissioning for our government grant assisted / installed combi boiler & the privately funded electrics & house rewire.
The certificated " reputable " electrician seems the have"  forgot" to fill in and send off the forms and test data once he'd invoiced us &  was paid in VAT'd cash for the job .
 ( Only card switched type payments , cheques or bank transfers from now on for anything over a tenner." .

 Today has been absolutely evil,  barely an hour passed with out it dropping sleet , light rain , stair rods or giving it altogether in one mean hour of down pour , the skies were so dark & glum all day it is quite remarkable that we have managed to generate 6.64 2KWhr.today .

 Right I'm off to start a thread about solar water heating ..
I'm after peoples views /advice and opinions .

Good look with your setting up,  hope it proves to be everything you expect and more ( in a positive £££'s way )

[Greenerlife]

It seems to be a case of local authorities not actually following guidelines set by parliament here.   We put thermal tubes on our roof without planning, we couldn't get a grant because we didn't have planning.  I provided them with all the paperwork we had and they gave us the grant after months of nit picking.  When we installed our solar pv we certainly had to get planning permission, but fortunately our only neighbours who would have complained were away when it was granted!   

[cloddopper]

I think the PP is left to the local authorities digression , I get the impression that they also just want the notifications for box filling as well as checking with the BCO's that you have the project under their supervision of safety & compliance purposes.

 The solar water heating would need calculated loading for the roof structure figures as well . Imagine if someone shoved four x  200 litres tanks of 80 oC hot water in their roof void and the lot came down into the kiddies bed room whilst the kids we in bed & cooked them.

[cloddopper]

We got all the required paper work back from the various producers and started to fill in the FIT application for e.On . You can send it via email .

 What a bloody night mare. It is a single multi page document for that covers all sizes ,types of methods for green energy generation or useage by any company , charity , school or government building or householder

The first thing we stumbled with was out e.On account number on our bills .. there is not one ...but there is a two line grid of numbers that say customer service number .

 I drew the grid and filled in the letters & numbers .. turns out I did the right thing.
 next there is a notice saying if you generate under 50 MWhr. do not fill in this form area or send in the MCS certificate .
Yup ..... you guessed it they want the form and the section filling in .

 They asked for only the new generation meter reading .. gave it on the form as 0.51 units  ... Ok now they want a domestic supply meter reading .
 
 Fortunately we also gave a phone number on the form and within a few minutes we get called after email everything to e.On on Saturday afternoon  asking can we send the extra information for the  FIT application .

 God only knows what would have happened and how long things would have taken if we has sent the FIT application by post and not put in the phone number or our email address.

 How did you other generators find the FIT applications?
 

[cloddopper]

An interesting post - is this roof mounted? Can the neighbour actually see the panels? I don't see what's to complain about either way as they're related inconspicuous.


Why not have a little fun and spook them by saying the wind turbine is coming next week! 



We were told by the suppliers/installers we had to apply for planning permission, perhaps that's because we are in the North Pennines AONB or maybe just because it's a ground mounted system?


The application should be sorted next week though so I'm looking forward to getting our set up installed and working!

Well 
Whilst we were away on 6 days caravan holiday last week a lovely 300 foot wind turbine has finally been constructed & commissioned some 400 mtrs away from us .
 i happened to comment to my lass yesterday about the majesty and quietness of it all whilst next door were out in the garden .  They suddenly took off indoors like scalded cats slamming the main house door enough to take it off the hinges and bust the glass.    I couldn't help but laugh out loud wicked man that I am .

 Seriously . Even though we are directly up wind of the SSW wind that's been blowing for the last three days we can't hear any noise ,neither can our pitch perfect 13 yr old youngster.

So yesterday afternoon  we stopped the car 300 feet from the tower and all we cold her was a very soft short duration gently rhythmic hum/strumming once every 2 seconds .. far nicer than the four or five seconds of light traffic noise as cars come up & down the hill where we live. Heavy laden lorries often shake us awake when I'm in bed.

 So far our PV system is standing up well and has given us a much better return of interest than any bank could .