An aerial image of All Saints church at Mundesley, taken by John Fielding from his microlight aircraft. Picture: John Fielding (Image: John Fielding)
A Norfolk church is asking planners to let there be light, by giving it permission for solar panels to provide electricity in the building.
All Saints Church in Mundesley wants to remove existing tiles from its roof and replace them with the latest in solar technology – panels designed to look like natural slate.
The project is one of the first of its kind for the county and would see the devices provide electricity for the buildings' lighting and power, with any excess passed on to the National Grid.
The Grade II listed church sits in a prominent position in the coastal village, on a clifftop overlooking the sea.
First built between the 14th and 15th centuries, All Saints was completely reconstructed between 1899 and 1914 after standing in ruins for many years.
Mundesley, All Saints Church Picture: Sam Robbins/Archant (Image: Sam Robbins/Archant)
Planning officials at North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) have recommended the scheme for approval, before a meeting next week.
But it has raised concerns among NNDC's conservation team, which has objected to the plan.
They said: "The move away from the roof covering which has informed our view of the church for the last 100 years or so would undoubtedly have an impact.
"More importantly, so too would be the introduction of the contextually incompatible solar slates on the prominent south side."
However, it has the support of the Mundesley Parish Council and the climate and environment team at NNDC.
While NNDC's planning officers acknowledged there would be some harm to a heritage asset they argued it would ensure the future use of the building, with the benefits outweighing the negatives.
"These proposed works would help the church in becoming one of the first carbon-neutral churches within North Norfolk," they said.
The scheme follows a call from the Diocese of Norwich for churches to find ways to become more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact.
Source: northnorfolknews.co.uk