Solar Panels in Matlock

Matlock is the county town of Derbyshire and sits in the south-eastern part of the Peak District, with the National Park directly to the west. That boundary matters for solar. Homes outside the park fall under Derbyshire Dales District Council, where most roof panels on houses are permitted development. Homes inside the park are covered by the National Park’s own planning rules. The first thing we do with an enquiry here is check which side of the line your address sits.

The landscape also shapes how much sun a roof gets. The Derwent cuts a gorge below High Tor, where the A6 squeezes along Dale Road beside the river, and the town climbs steeply up Matlock Bank on the other side. PVGIS gives a south-facing roof in Matlock about 946 kWh a year for each kWp of panels, and about 750 kWh on an east or west-facing roof (PVGIS). That is the lowest figure in the area we cover, and a little under central Derby’s 979 kWh. It’s still a workable figure. It just means shading from the hillside or trees needs a careful look during the survey.

The town’s buildings reflect its past as a spa. County Hall was once Smedley’s Hydro and is Grade II listed, as is Rockside Hydro above it, and the local sandstone and gritstone were quarried for building. Listed buildings always need consent for panels, and permitted development never covers them.

The town’s station is the end of the Derwent Valley Line from Derby, and the A6 links the town with Belper and Derby to the south. From our base on Burton Road it is a straightforward run up the A6.