Roof-mounted solar is normally permitted development in England, but Dover has several planning overlays that change the rules. If you are in one of them, a rear-elevation install is usually still fine; a front-elevation install almost certainly needs a planning application.
The permitted development baseline
Under Class A of Part 14 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, solar PV on a domestic roof is permitted development if:
- The panels project no more than 200mm from the roof plane (200mm from the wall plane for wall-mounted)
- The panels are sited to minimise their effect on the amenity of the area
- The panels are removed when no longer needed
- The property is not Listed
Conservation area overlays
Dover District Council maintains conservation areas including Castle Ward, Western Heights, and Old St James. Inside a CA, solar panels are still permitted development on the roof, but:
- Panels on a principal elevation (facing the primary highway) require a planning application
- Panels on a chimney require a planning application
- Panels on a wall (not the roof) require a planning application
Rear-elevation and side-elevation panels not visible from the highway remain permitted development, even inside a CA.
Kent Downs AONB overlay
The Kent Downs AONB covers St Margaret's-at-Cliffe, Kingsdown, Ringwould, and the White Cliffs beyond. Inside an AONB, panels on any principal or side elevation are outside permitted development. Rear-elevation panels are still permitted.
Listed buildings
If the property is Listed (Grade II, II*, or I), roof-mounted solar is not permitted development regardless of elevation. It always needs both planning permission and Listed Building Consent. In practice, Historic England will usually resist an install visible from the highway or from public vantage. Rear-facing installs where panels are not visible from any public viewpoint stand a reasonable chance.
What the planning application involves
- Application form (submitted through the DDC planning portal)
- Site plan (1:1250)
- Elevation drawings (existing and proposed)
- Panel spec sheet (matt-black panels are preferred by conservation officers)
- Heritage impact statement
- Application fee: £206 for householder as at 2026
- Statutory determination: 8 weeks
We package all of this if you need us to. Typical outcome in Dover conservation areas: rear or side-facing install with matt-black panels usually gets consent; front-elevation install usually gets refused.
What about panels visible from the sea?
The AONB rule is about visibility from the highway (roads, public rights of way). Visibility from the sea is not a permitted-development criterion. In practice, though, the AONB planning officer will note a seaward-facing install in their assessment.
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