St Matthew’s, in Tarring Road, Worthing, to get solar panels

St Matthew’s, in Tarring Road, Worthing, can fit 20 panels on the 123-year-old building, which also serves as a community hub and a preschool.

They will provide energy for the hall and the church itself and save an estimated £50,000.

Worthing Borough Council officers had expressed concerns about the impact on the surrounding conservation area and called for the plans to be refused.

“For historic buildings a balance needs to be achieved between generating your own energy and avoiding damage both to the significance of the building and its fabric,” they said.

The plans also attracted objections from two Shakespeare Road residents who said the panels would be an eyesore.

Church leaders said placing the panels in an alternative location was not possible as it would be less efficient and may require expensive scaffolding.

Paul Mason, a church representative, said: “We were so disappointed and surprised to get a refusal for our [prior approval] application.”

He said the church would have dropped the project if it hadn’t received permission the second time around, which would have been "a great shame".

There church hope to save money from energy bills with the solar panels

“Worthing needs projects like this if the council is going to meet its pledge to be net carbon zero,” he said.

Reverend Paul Taylor pointed out the Church of England’s own plan to be carbon neutral by 2030.

“Our church isn’t listed and the panels are on the rear roof,” he said. 

“If even we can’t do this, how is the Church of England possibly going to meet its target?”

Rev Taylor said the church is used to serve the community seven days a week.

“Solar panels will enable us to do this in energy efficient ways,” he said.

“We want to care for the planet and we want to care for local people.”

The committee went against officer advice and the plans were given unanimous approval.

Committee chairman Jim Deen said: “Over the coming year [we want] to address the out of date nature of our conservation areas and the guidance contained within them.”