Plan to install solar panels on listed North Sunderland church approved

The panels will be installed on St Paul’s Church in North Sunderland, Seahouses.

The proposals were recommended for refusal by council planners after the local authority’s building conservation team objected.

It was argued that the “less than substantial” harm done to the overall building as a result of fitting the panels outweighed any public benefits of the scheme.

However, the plans received 34 letters of support from local residents along with a petition signed by 18 people.

Cllr Guy Renner Thompson, who represents the area as part of the Bamburgh ward, spoke in support of the application at Tuesday’s meeting of the North Northumberland local area planning committee.

He said: “When this first came across my desk I thought nobody will object – how wrong I was. This is a well-supported church and it is really important we keep these old buildings going.

“They’re not just places of worship, they are community hubs and bases – and this one is so very well supported. If we were to vote against our own climate change policy, people would laugh at us.

“They are situated so they can’t be seen from the high street – very few people will ever see them.”

The application was submitted by Community Action Northumberland.

The applicant’s agent Ninette Edwards, said: “The church is an important building to the local community. Churches need to meet their costs and St Paul’s has just broken even this year with members working hard to come up with fund-raising ideas.”

Cllr Catherine Seymour, Berwick North, initially proposed refusal of the application. However, none of her council colleagues would second her proposal.

As a result, Coun Trevor Thorne proposed approval. He said: “It’s a village church, it is their community building and we have got to keep it going and keep costs low. We’re putting them on the rear of the building so we’re going some way to protect the listed building status.”

The plans were approved by nine votes to one.