By Don Mort, local democracy reporting service
A historic church is set to cut its carbon emissions after permission was granted to install solar panels.
Grade II-listed St James Church, on Low Lane in Horsforth, was given planning consent for the installation by Leeds City Council.
A planning report said the scheme was part of plans by the Church of England to become “carbon net zero” by 2030.
No objections were raised against the planning application, which was supported by ward councillors and Horsforth Town Council.
A nearby householder who backed the scheme wrote: “Leeds City Council and the Church of England have targets to reduce their carbon footprint.
“The panels will not have a significant impact on the appearance of the building. The proposal will provide the church with more suitable heating and energy usage.”
The report said plans had also been drawn up for new roofing for the church.
It said: “Prior to installing the solar array, there will be a comprehensive overhaul of the existing roofing material, including, where possible, the introduction of roof insulation to help reduce operation heat losses.”
The church was built in the 1840s and has been listed by Historic England since 1962.
A Heritage Statement by Overton Architects said: “It is a loved and cherished church by those who use and have links to it, both current and historic.
“To maintain this, St James must be viable both in terms of use and economics and in doing so has a duty to reduce its impact on the environment.”
The plans can be viewed in fulll here.
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