A scheme to help Chichester District residents and both small and medium-sized businesses to purchase high quality solar panels at a competitive price is relaunching this spring.
Chichester District Council has teamed up with iChoosr and West Sussex County Council to reopen this group-buying scheme, offering residents and businesses the opportunity to access affordable solar panels and batteries.
There are two opportunities for residents to register for the scheme, with the first round of applications now open until 21 April 2023. Households whose properties are thought to be suitable for the scheme are being contacted by letter to make them aware of the opportunity. However, anyone who is interested in joining the scheme can register their interest.
Residents can register at: www.solartogether.co.uk/chichester before 21 April. A reverse ‘auction’ will then take place in which approved solar installers will bid for the work — the most competitive offer, from these pre-vetted installers, will win the auction. Following this, residents who have applied will be emailed a personal recommendation for their home based on the details provided during registration, which will include the costs and specifications for a complete solar panel installation. Residents can then make a decision as to whether they want to accept their recommendation, with no obligation to continue. They have four weeks to accept, and if they do so, the winning installer will contact them to survey their roof and set an installation date. It’s planned that all installations should then be completed within six months of accepting the quote.
Installations will generally not need planning permission. However, in some cases, such as in Conservation Areas and on Listed Buildings, planning permission may be required. For planning advice please visit: www.chichester.gov.uk/planningpermission
If residents already have solar panels installed on their home, they can also register to have battery storage added to their existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of their system.For detailed information about likely costs and the benefits, people can visit: www.solartogether.co.uk/chichester.