SOLAR panels could soon adorn the Guildhall in Chard after the town council agreed to spend about £13,000 on the installation, subject to planning permission.

The News reported last year that the panels could be introduced as part of a wider set of upgrades.

Mayor Jenny Kenton backed the idea at the time – she said the solar panels would be a “good investment” and that the town would not want the building to be left cold in a bid to promote its use by people in Chard.

A special panel was set up to make recommendations to the town council regarding expenditure from the Guildhall Property Capital budget.

At a recent town council meeting, members were asked to rubber stamp a decision to pay for the PV panels at an estimated cost of £13,188.

Councillors also took the decision to instruct a local architect to act as an agent on the planning application which will be submitted to South Somerset District Council.

It was suggested that the application needs to be professionally prepared given the status of the building in the conservation area and that English Heritage would have its say on how the panels impacted on the iconic building.

At the meeting, town clerk Sarah Robson said: “At initial meetings with the conservation officer there were some concerns over the location.

“In order to have the best possible chance of success we have to be able to justify the location we have selected.”

Cllr Dave Bulmer added: “Essentially what we are saying is that we need to dot the I’s and cross the T’s properly. We don’t want to trip up on the planning application stage given that we are an authority in the planning process.”

The project is not anticipated to hit the public purse, with the council hoping to get the money back over the next few years through a Government buy-back scheme and the resulting reduced utility costs.

About 25 panels could potentially be put up on the roof of the auditorium, meaning they would not be visible from Fore Street.