Plans unveiled for hundreds of solar panels at Washington's The Galleries shopping centre
Plans to install hundreds of new solar panels at a major shopping centre in Washington have been submitted to council development bosses.
Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for The Galleries, in Washington town centre.
Plans submitted to council officials note that there are already solar panels on part of the roof of the shopping complex.
Applicants are now seeking permission for the installation of 764 roof-mounted solar PV panels and to “remove part of the existing solar PV system (100kWp)”.
It was noted that the new development would result in a “total installed capacity of 604.44kWp”.
The application is for “prior approval” and supporting documents note that the new development would include 764 “monocrystalline solar PV panels” which would be “a minimum of 1000mm from external roof edges and project less than 1000mm above the roof plane.”
It added the solar panels would be securely “clamped” and that the DC string cables would be run under panels and clipped to mounting rails then taken through the roof to internally mounted inverters connected to the building’s electrical system.
The plans follow a number of recent applications for solar panel installations at key buildings across Sunderland and South Tyneside as organisations look to slash carbon emissions.
Among the proposed locations are health buildings, leisure sites, factory units and schools.
A decision on the solar panel application for The Galleries shopping centre is expected following a council consultation.
For more information, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 26/00840/PCZ.