Households win right to fight for sunlight on their solar panels
By Adam Carey & Benjamin Preiss
11 September 2018 — 6:34pm
Homeowners with rooftop solar systems will be protected from neighbouring property developments overshadowing their roofs under changes to planning rules the Andrews government has introduced.
The new residential planning rules, to be brought in later this month, will mean that overshadowing of existing solar panels and hot water systems will have to be considered in residential planning decisions.
While the new planning regulations will not give homeowners any automatic veto over high-density developments next door, it will increase protections for the solar panels just as the Victorian government promises large subsidies for uptake of the technology.
A number of rulings from the state planning tribunal have called for a Victoria-wide law for overshadowing of panels, as up until now access to solar power has been largely decided on an ad hoc basis.
There will also be new guidelines for solar panels installed in heritage listed neighbourhoods, specifying appropriate colours, positioning and design.
Glen Eira Debates 
September 12, 2018 at 6:09 PM
Fantastic; All too late. Again residents are asked to invest in alternative power like solar but the Government are trying to put in place retrospective laws to stop overshadowing solar systems but it is all to late. Please become more professional in the first inst. and think about these items before you embark on new idea. Think before you speak!!!!
September 12, 2018 at 6:17 PM
It’s an election year. Only a couple of months to go in the life of the current government, and Richard Wynne is claimed to have said the government was getting the planning right to “protect residents against inappropriate development, tackle climate change and cut the cost of living for Victorian households”. Presumably they didn’t get it right for the previous 3.8 years. Their predecessors didn’t either. On 24 November we get to rank candidates in descending order from least worst to diabolical. Your vote is informal if you rank two candidates to be equally distasteful.
September 12, 2018 at 6:37 PM
As a matter of pragmatics, changing discretionary guidelines doesn’t in itself change outcomes. Decision-makers have always had the power to refuse to grant a permit on any ground it thinks fit, such as poor amenity or unacceptable outcomes. [Some councillors consider poor amenity to be acceptable.] Even where something “must” be considered, there is no requirement to demonstrate that that matter was actually considered. Few people can afford the $200K to challenge decisions that fail to demonstrate compliance with the Act in the Supreme Court. Councils and VCAT Members can continue to say “suck it up princess”.
September 12, 2018 at 7:09 PM
This is a good idea, it a shame they do not think of privacy in the same light
September 12, 2018 at 7:50 PM
I’m wondering what the Age reporters know about the upcoming legislation when they can write “While the new planning regulations will not give homeowners any automatic veto over high-density developments next door, it will increase protections for the solar panels”. Since there isn’t any real protection at the moment it isn’t too hard to increase protection. I’m not holding my breath because without prescriptive standards I don’t expect much to change. All of Wynne’s recent legislation has either been window dressing or handing more power to developers and hungry councils.
September 17, 2018 at 6:03 PM
Any idiot knows that over shadowing a neighbours residence is going to affect there ability to use solar but what is more important is the fact that we in Victoria do not have enough sunshine year round to guarantee continual supply. Maybe we can import from Bali ?….please get the facts rights and make sure its possible otherwise its a waste of time and money and nothing more than sear folly.