Things to consider
Location: Your roof must not be shaded by objects like trees or buildings with consideration for the suns angle throughout the year.
Orientation: Solar panels and collectors work on most roofs, but are more effective on those facing south, south-east and south-west.
Inclination: Solar panels and collectors are suitable for pitched and flat roofs, the optimal roof angle is 30 – 40 degrees for the UK.
Available area: For a solar thermal system, the minimum required area is approximately 1.5 m2/ person
Planning permission: solar panels typically fall within what are known as “permitted development rights”. This means that, if a solar panel or system is more or less flush with an existing roof, the council will not ask for a planning application. However, if you live in a flat or a house divided into flats, a listed building, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a conservation area, or an area covered by an Article 4 direction from the local council, you may need to put in a planning application.