Is sun setting on school’s panel plan?

Stratton Upper School in Biggleswade has applied to Central Bedfordshire Council for planning permission to fit the panels.

But after feed-in tariffs – the funds which are paid to people who generate their own electricity – were halved the school has reconsidered its plans.

The government was originally paying homeowners with solar panels 43.3p per kilowatt hour but it was announced last October that from December 12 this would be cut to 21p.

The High Court later ruled that the move was unlawful, a judgement which was upheld by the Court of Appeal when the government challenged the earlier ruling.

But the school believes that there could be more to gain by delaying the installation if the application is approved.

Headteacher Rob Watson said: “At Stratton Upper School we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and we are always looking at new ways of doing this.

“Sadly due to the reduction of the government tariffs it is not currently viable for us to install solar panels but it is something we will be looking at again in the future.”

The speed at which the reduction was introduced meant that the school has had little option but to postpone the plans, Mr Watson said.

He added: “When we put the planning application in the government was still paying the higher rate but this quickly changed and we really have to consider what is in the school’s best interests in the long run.

“Putting in a planning application is not expensive in itself so we decided we would continue with the application.

“Then if we do decide to proceed in the future we will hopefully already have permission in place.”