{"id":94764,"date":"2025-11-27T10:55:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T01:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=94764"},"modified":"2025-12-02T09:40:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T00:10:36","slug":"heritage-homes-better-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/heritage-homes-better-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Get Solar Panels On A Heritage Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Old houses are a blessing, but energy efficiency isn\u2019t always a strong point.<\/p>\n

Can you install solar onto a house and still preserve its historic character? It is possible, but you may need to appease the neighbours and some narrowly designed rules. Read on for some good points to raise in support of your planning application.<\/p>\n

Do Heritage Rules Apply To Solar?<\/h2>\n

If your neighbourhood has a heritage overlay and you want solar, there’s likely a council application to be made.<\/p>\n

The terminology will vary. It is a contributory building? a local heritage place? A state heritage listing? There are many classifications but the key question is how significant the authorities and local community deem your house is.<\/p>\n

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\"Government

Government House in Adelaide was thoughtfully designed to put the service section of the governors residence on the north side. Even the chimneys are ideally placed out of the way for solar.<\/p><\/div>\n

What Can Be Seen From The Street?<\/h2>\n

My former GP curses about “the trust” sometimes.\u00a0 It’s not the Housing Trust (public housing authority) but the National Trust. These people give you a brass plaque and, like it or not, dictate you can’t paint football colours on a grand old house.<\/p>\n

I haven’t had to deal with an officious planning department or heritage officer who likes to throw their weight around, however I’m glad they get an opportunity to preserve a sense of place.<\/p>\n

That said, there’s a place for pragmatism and if you can work “adaptive reuse” into your application it will bode well.<\/p>\n

I have seen a new shed with a corrugated zinc roof,\u00a0 built with pitch, dormer window and detailing to complement the adjacent timber cottage with its own zinc roof (not galvanised). Council mandated the zinc shed roof must be painted, <\/em>to match the zinc house roof.<\/p>\n

Speaking to a number of local planning departments, the consensus seems to be that if you can’t see it when you’re standing on the street, then you’re free to fit what you like.<\/p>\n

If you will be able to see the solar from the street, then there might be some papework ahead. There’s helpful resources for most states and territories to guide you, although these won’t necessarily cover your local council rules:<\/p>\n