Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the CPRE, the countryside charity's campaign entitled A rooftop revolution: turning possibility into reality, whether he plans to take steps to help ensure that (a) new car parks are built with solar photovoltaics as standard and (b) existing car parks are retrofitted with solar photovoltaics.

Following full technical consultation, the Government introduced changes to permitted development rights for solar equipment in December 2023. These changes included the introduction of a new permitted development right that allows for the installation of solar canopies in non-domestic, off-street car parks.

These changes simplify planning processes and enable more solar installations to benefit from the flexibilities and planning freedoms permitted development rights offer.