A local village hall has been told it can install new solar panels as it looks to cut costs.

The charity behind Lowsonford Village Hall says the panels could help save up to £2,000 per year at the Rookery Lane site.

The development is set to deliver 11.625kw of "solar pv generated capacity" and battery storage.

Plans were put forward to Warwick District Council earlier this year, with the local authority last month saying 'prior approval' is not needed, and so the panels can be installed.

The application said: "The viability of the charity operating the village hall has been brought into question following reduction in demand following the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in power costs.

"To remain viable, and therefore to continue to operate this community asset, the charity needs to reduce the costs of power without incurring material capital costs.

"To that end, the charity has secured agreement from a grant funder to cover all costs of the proposed solar pv and battery installation.

"If delivered, the annual power costs of the village hall would likely fall [by] at least £2,000, which would make the operation viable."

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Plans show the panels would be put on the western side of the roof. The eastern side would not have any so the panels are not visible from the canal side.

Signing off on the plans, a council report said: "Solar panels are a common feature to both non-domestic and domestic buildings, and the siting of the solar panels are not considered to cause unacceptable visual harm."

Click here to see the full planning application.

(Header image by Robin Stott via geograph.org.uk)