Seventeen solar panels can be mounted on a farm’s barn roof, Calderdale planners have agreed.

Officers were happy to approve the application for the panels at Shawbottom Farm, Blackshaw Head.

They heard the photovoltaic panels will sit flush, or near flush, with the roof slope, will follow the existing roof pitch, will not exceed the height of the roof ridge, and will not increase the building’s bulk or massing.

They will also include an anti-glare coating.

In terms of countryside development in specially designated areas – in this case Todmorden Neighbourhood Plan as well as Calderdale’s Local Plan – national planning policy notes that even small-scale projects are capable of providing a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and gives significant weigh to the need to support energy efficiency and low carbon heating improvements to existing buildings.

The proposal is an economic use which is considered to have a functional need to be located close to the applicant’s property, and would not harm this special landscape area, said the officers.

The barn is not a listed building – a supporting statement with the application stated: “The barn at Shawbottom Farm is a modern agricultural structure constructed from concrete blockwork with a steel roof and holds limited heritage significance.

“The proposal preserves the existing structure and results in no heritage harm.”