Five Minutes On… - OneSearch

The UK’s renewable energy landscape has expanded dramatically in recent years, and with it the number of homes that sit within sight – or earshot – of a wind or solar installation.

For buyers considering a property near an existing or proposed renewable energy development, understanding what proximity actually means in practical terms is an important part of making an informed decision.

Get up to speed on Wind & Solar Farm proximity in just five minutes.

What’s the current picture?

Wind and solar developments are found across the UK, from large offshore wind arrays to onshore turbine clusters on upland moors, and from utility -scale solar farms covering hundreds of acres to smaller installations on agricultural land. Many are already operational. Others are consented but not yet built. And a significant pipeline of new applications moves through the planning system at any given time.

A property that currently enjoys open countryside views may be within the footprint of a consented solar farm. A rural home may be within the noise assessment zone of a proposed wind development. Neither of these things will necessarily appear on a standard local search – which is precisely why specific enquiries matter.

What are the practical concerns for buyers?

The concerns most commonly raised by buyers in relation to wind and solar proximity fall into several categories:

Visual impact – wind turbines are tall, moving structures visible across significant distances. Solar farms, while lower to the ground, can cover large areas of previously open landscape. Both can materially affect the outlook from a property
Noise – wind turbines generate a characteristic low -frequency noise that is subject to planning conditions and noise assessment requirements, but which some residents find intrusive, particularly at night
Shadow flicker – turbines rotating in sunlight can create a flickering effect inside nearby properties at certain times of day. Planning conditions typically require developers to address this, but it’s worth understanding whether it’s been assessed for properties in close proximity
Access and traffic – construction phases for large wind and solar projects generate significant HGV movements on rural roads, which can affect properties nearby for an extended period
Property value – the evidence on value impact varies by location and type of development, but proximity to large wind or solar installations is a factor some buyers and lenders take into account

What about proposed developments?

A development that hasn’t been built yet – or even formally applied for – is harder to identify than one already on the landscape. Planning applications for renewable energy projects appear on the relevant local planning authority’s register, and for larger nationally significant infrastructure projects, on the Planning Inspectorate’s database.

A CON29O optional enquiry can surface information held by the local authority about proposed energy developments in the area. For projects large enough to be classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects – generally onshore wind above 50MW and solar above 50MW in England – the application is handled by the Planning Inspectorate rather than the local authority, so additional research may be needed.

Does planning policy affect what can be approved nearby?

Planning policy on renewable energy in England has evolved over time and continues to do so. Onshore wind in particular has been subject to significant policy changes in recent years, affecting where new turbines can be consented and on what basis. Buyers concerned about future development near a property they’re considering should look at the local development plan, which will set out the council’s approach to renewable energy in that area.

What should buyers ask?

Before exchange, buyers with concerns about renewable energy proximity should ask their conveyancer to raise the relevant CON29O enquiries, and consider whether additional searches, including a planning search covering a broader radius, would be appropriate. Where a specific development has been identified, reviewing the planning decision notice and any associated conditions can provide useful detail on what mitigation was required.

Proximity to a wind or solar installation isn’t automatically a problem – but it’s the kind of thing a buyer should know about before they commit, not discover on the day they move in. The landscape is changing quickly, and the planning pipeline for renewable energy is active. Asking the right questions at the right stage of the conveyancing process makes all the difference.

Buying a home near an overhead power line, electricity substation or gas pipeline is more common than many buyers realise.

Energy infrastructure is woven into the landscape across the UK – urban and rural alike – and its presence near a property can affect everything from what can be built to how easily the home can be mortgaged.

Understanding what’s there, and what it means, is an important part of due diligence, so here it all is, in five minutes.

What counts as energy infrastructure?

Energy infrastructure covers a broad range of apparatus and installations that form part of the networks used to generate, transmit and distribute energy. In the context of residential property, the most commonly encountered types include:

Overhead electricity lines – from high -voltage national grid transmission lines carried on tall steel pylons, to lower -voltage distribution lines on wooden poles that run through residential streets and across gardens
Underground cables – electricity cables buried beneath land, which may cross a property’s boundary without being visible at the surface
Electricity substations – installations that step voltage up or down across the network, ranging from large fenced compounds to small green metal cabinets on the pavement
Gas transmission pipelines – high -pressure pipelines carrying gas across the country, typically buried and marked at regular intervals with yellow warning signs
Gas distribution mains – lower -pressure pipes serving individual streets and properties
Oil and other fuel pipelines – less common but present in certain areas, particularly near refineries, ports and airports

What rights do network operators have?

Energy infrastructure doesn’t appear on land by accident. Network operators – companies like National Grid, Scottish Power Energy Networks, Northern Gas Networks and others – hold legal rights over land where their apparatus sits or crosses. These rights typically take the form of easements or wayleaves registered against the title to the land.

An easement gives the operator a permanent right to keep their apparatus in place and to access the land for maintenance and inspection. A wayleave is a similar right, usually granted by agreement with the landowner, which in some cases can be terminated – though the operator may have statutory powers to insist on a replacement.

These rights travel with the land. A buyer purchasing a property with an overhead line crossing the garden, or a buried cable running beneath it, takes on the land subject to those rights. That can affect what they can build, where they can plant, and whether they can alter the ground in certain areas.

What are the practical implications for buyers?

The presence of energy infrastructure near a property has a number of potential implications worth understanding before exchange:

Building restrictions – there are minimum safe clearance distances from overhead electricity lines within which construction is not permitted. The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on safe working distances, and network operators must be consulted before any work near overhead lines
Mortgage and insurance – some lenders apply additional conditions or restrictions to properties within a certain distance of high -voltage overhead lines. Insurance can also be affected in some circumstances
Permitted development – certain automatic permitted development rights may be affected by the presence of infrastructure rights over the land
Aesthetic and amenity impact – high -voltage pylons and substations can affect outlook and, in some cases, market value, though the evidence on health effects from electromagnetic fields remains a subject of ongoing scientific review
Underground apparatus – buyers planning landscaping, excavation or construction work need to know what’s below the ground before work starts. Striking a buried cable or pipeline can be dangerous and costly

How is energy infrastructure identified?

A CON29O optional enquiry can reveal whether any electricity lines, apparatus or rights are recorded by the local authority. For underground pipelines, the Health and Safety Executive’s pipeline database and individual network operator records are the primary sources.

Where apparatus is visible – a pylon, a substation, a pole – its presence will be obvious. Where it’s buried or where easements and wayleaves exist in the title, they should appear in the title register and associated documents provided as part of the conveyancing process.

Energy infrastructure is a fixed feature of the landscape – it doesn’t move, and the rights attached to it don’t disappear when a property changes hands. For buyers, the key questions are what’s there, what rights the operator holds, and what that means for how the land can be used. Getting clear answers before exchange avoids the kind of surprises that are significantly harder to deal with after completion.

Not every change to a home requires a planning application. In England, a set of automatic permissions – known as permitted development rights – allows homeowners to carry out certain works without needing approval from their local planning authority.

It’s a useful framework that streamlines minor development. But it comes with important limits, and those limits aren’t always obvious until something goes wrong.

Permit yourself a cup of tea, and read our latest article:

What are permitted development rights?

Permitted development rights are a form of planning permission granted not by the local authority on a case -by -case basis, but by Parliament through secondary legislation. They allow specified categories of development to proceed automatically, provided the works fall within defined parameters – size limits, height restrictions, proximity to boundaries, and so on.

For residential properties, permitted development rights cover a range of common works including rear extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, porches, solar panels, and certain changes of use. The idea is that minor, low -impact development shouldn’t need to go through the full planning application process.

What are the limits?

Permitted development rights are not unlimited. The permitted development order sets out precise criteria, and works that exceed those criteria require a full planning application. Key limitations include:

Size and height thresholds – extensions must fall within maximum floor area and height limits that vary depending on the type of dwelling and its location
Proximity to boundaries – outbuildings and extensions must generally be set back from the boundary, with stricter rules for side elevations
Designated areas – properties in conservation areas, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Parks and World Heritage Sites have significantly restricted permitted development rights, with many works requiring full permission that would be automatic elsewhere
Listed buildings – permitted development rights do not apply to listed buildings, where listed building consent is required for any works affecting the character of the structure
Article 4 Directions – local planning authorities can remove permitted development rights in specific areas through an Article 4 Direction, often used in conservation areas or to protect the character of particular streets

Why does this matter for buyers?

Works carried out under permitted development rights don’t require a planning application – but they do need to actually fall within the permitted development criteria. A loft conversion or extension built without planning permission isn’t automatically compliant with permitted development. If the works exceed the parameters, they represent an unauthorised development, regardless of whether the seller believed they were permitted.

This is a more common issue than many buyers expect. Extensions built over the permitted size limit, outbuildings in the wrong location, or works in a conservation area that required full planning permission – all of these can surface during the conveyancing process and require resolution before exchange.

Can permitted development compliance be confirmed formally?

Yes – a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) provides formal confirmation from the local planning authority that works were lawful at the time they were carried out. Where a seller has carried out works under permitted development rights, an LDC is increasingly requested as part of the conveyancing process. Where one doesn’t exist, the conveyancer will need to assess whether applying for one, or arranging a planning indemnity policy, is the more appropriate route. For a full explanation of how LDCs work, see our dedicated guide: Five Minutes On… Lawful Development Certificates.

What about future changes to permitted development rights?

Permitted development rights are a product of legislation and have changed significantly over time – and continue to do so. Rights that didn’t exist a few years ago may now apply, and rights that buyers are counting on for future development may be amended or removed. Buyers with specific plans for a property should always check the current position rather than assuming that what was permissible for a previous owner remains so today.

Permitted development rights are a genuine benefit for homeowners – they make routine improvements straightforward and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy. But they operate within a framework of rules that need to be understood and checked. Works that look like permitted development aren’t always compliant, and a buyer who inherits an unauthorised extension or outbuilding inherits the problem that comes with it. Getting clarity on the permitted development position of a property before exchange is always time well spent.

Planning permission is often spoken about as though it’s a simple yes or no; either the council approved it or they didn’t.

The reality is more nuanced. Most planning permissions come attached with conditions, and those conditions can be just as important as the permission itself. For buyers, understanding what conditions exist on a property – and whether they’ve been complied with – is an essential part of due diligence.

Here’s what you need to know, in just a five minute read:

What is a planning condition?

When a local planning authority grants permission for development, it frequently does so subject to conditions. These are requirements that must be met either before work starts, during construction, or after completion. They’re a standard tool of the planning system, used to make development acceptable in circumstances where an outright refusal would be difficult to justify but an unconditional approval would be inappropriate.

Conditions are attached to the planning permission itself – not to the applicant. That means they travel with the land. A buyer purchasing a property that was built, extended or altered subject to planning conditions inherits whatever obligations or restrictions those conditions created.

What kinds of conditions are commonly attached?

Planning conditions vary widely depending on the nature of the development and the concerns of the local planning authority. Common examples include:

Pre -commencement conditions – requiring specific details to be agreed with the council before any work begins, such as materials, drainage schemes or construction management plans
Occupancy restrictions – limiting who can live in a property, for example agricultural worker dwellings that must be occupied by someone employed in agriculture
Use restrictions – preventing a property or part of it from being used for certain purposes, such as prohibiting a garage from being converted into habitable accommodation
Landscaping and boundary conditions – requiring specific planting, screening or boundary treatments to be installed and maintained
Parking and access conditions – specifying how many parking spaces must be provided, or requiring that access arrangements are maintained in a particular way
Hours of operation – relevant where a planning permission relates to a mixed -use or commercial element of a property
Permitted development restrictions – removing the automatic planning rights that would ordinarily apply, requiring a full application for works that would otherwise not need one

Why do conditions matter for buyers?

A condition that hasn’t been complied with is a planning breach – even if the original applicant is long gone and the buyer had nothing to do with it. Local planning authorities have enforcement powers that can be exercised against the current owner of land, regardless of who carried out the original works.

Equally, a condition that restricts what the buyer can do with the property after purchase can significantly affect its value and usefulness. A buyer who plans to run a business from home, convert a garage, or extend a property may find that a condition attached to the original permission prevents exactly that – or requires a fresh application to the council.

How are planning conditions identified?

The planning history of a property – including any conditions attached to permissions – should be disclosed through the CON29 Required search and through the seller’s property information form. Planning decisions, including their conditions, are also publicly available on the local planning authority’s online register.

A conveyancer reviewing a property with a recent planning history should check not just whether permission was granted, but what conditions were attached and whether evidence of compliance exists. For conditions requiring pre -commencement approval of details, a discharge of conditions notice from the council provides the necessary confirmation.

What if a condition hasn’t been complied with?

Where a condition breach is identified, the conveyancer will need to assess the risk. Some breaches are historic and unlikely to attract enforcement action – local authorities generally have a ten -year window to enforce against breaches relating to the use of a building, and four years for operational development. Others may be more recent and carry genuine enforcement risk.

In cases where the breach is identified but the risk is considered manageable, a planning indemnity policy can provide protection. These policies are widely available and can be arranged relatively quickly, though they don’t resolve the underlying breach – they simply insure against its financial consequences.

Planning conditions are a routine part of how the planning system works – but routine doesn’t mean unimportant. A condition that hasn’t been discharged, or one that restricts what a buyer can do with their new home, is exactly the kind of issue that should surface before exchange rather than after. It’s one of many reasons why a thorough review of planning history is never wasted time.

Most buyers know a local search is happening somewhere in the background of their conveyance.

Far fewer know there’s a second layer of questions their conveyancer can ask – and that those questions can surface some of the most significant risks a property will ever face. The CON29 Optional schedule is one of the most underappreciated tools in the conveyancer’s kit.

Here’s what it is, what it covers, and why it matters.

What is the CON29O?

A standard local search is made up of two distinct parts. The CON29 Required questions are raised with every local authority as a matter of course – they cover the essentials of planning history, road adoption status, enforcement notices, and a range of statutory designations that apply to most properties in most locations.

The CON29O – the Optional schedule – is something different. It’s a separate set of enquiries that must be specifically selected and individually paid for. They don’t go automatically. The conveyancer reviews the property, considers its location and characteristics, and decides which optional questions are worth raising.

The word “optional” can be misleading. It doesn’t mean unimportant – it means targeted. Some of the most consequential information about a property will only appear if the right optional question is asked.

What does the CON29O cover?

The optional schedule spans a wide range of designations, consents and notices that fall outside the scope of the standard search. The full list includes:

Road proposals by private bodies – schemes being promoted by developers or private interests that haven’t yet been adopted by the highway authority, but which could still affect access or land value
Public right of way amendments – proposed changes to the definitive map that haven’t been finalised, which could affect access across or around the land
Pipelines – gas mains, hazardous substance pipelines and other below -ground infrastructure that may cross or run adjacent to the boundary
Hazardous substance consents – whether planning consent exists to store or handle hazardous materials in the vicinity of the property
Environmental and pollution notices – formal notices served under environmental protection legislation, which may indicate contamination or regulatory action nearby
Hedgerow notices – whether hedgerows on or bordering the land carry legal protection and what restrictions that places on removal or alteration
Scheduled Ancient Monuments – whether the land itself, or land immediately adjacent, has been designated as a scheduled monument and what that means for any works
World Heritage Sites – whether the property sits within, or on the edge of, a World Heritage Site designation or its associated buffer zone
Energy infrastructure – the presence of overhead lines, substations, pylons or related apparatus on or near the land, and any rights or restrictions attached to them
Wind and solar farm proximity – proposed or consented renewable energy installations that may affect outlook, noise levels or land use in the surrounding area

Each of these can have a direct bearing on what the buyer can do with the property, how easily they can develop or alter it, and in some cases whether it can be mortgaged or insured on standard terms.

Why doesn’t the standard search cover all of this?

The CON29 Required questions are designed to capture the designations and notices that are most commonly relevant across the widest range of properties. They work well for the majority of transactions. But the optional schedule exists precisely because property is varied – a rural smallholding near an ancient hillfort raises entirely different due diligence questions to a terraced house in a suburban street.

A standard search can return completely clean while a CON29O question reveals a scheduled monument beneath the garden, a high -voltage transmission line overhead, or a gas pipeline running through the boundary. None of those things will appear unless the question is specifically raised. The standard search isn’t failing – it’s just not designed to go that deep without prompting.

Who decides which optional questions to raise?

The conveyancer makes that judgement call. In practice, good conveyancers consider the type of property, its setting, its planning history, and any obvious features of the surrounding area before deciding which optional questions are worth the additional cost and time.

A property near Stonehenge warrants a World Heritage Site enquiry. A rural property in an area of intensive agriculture may warrant a hedgerow notice check. A house near a former industrial site may warrant an environmental notice search even if contaminated land isn’t flagged on the standard return.

Buyers are entitled to ask their conveyancer which optional questions are being raised – and why. A brief conversation at the start of the transaction can make sure nothing obviously relevant is being missed.

What happens if an optional question reveals something?

The local authority’s response to a CON29O question will either confirm that nothing is recorded, or set out what is. Where something is recorded – a scheduled monument designation, an energy infrastructure right of way, a pipeline easement – the conveyancer will need to consider what it means for the transaction.

In some cases the information is noted and the transaction proceeds without issue. In others it may require further investigation, specialist advice, or an indemnity policy. In rare cases it can affect whether the buyer’s lender is willing to proceed on standard mortgage terms.

The point is that knowing is always better than not knowing. A designation that’s disclosed before exchange is a manageable piece of information. One that surfaces after completion can be significantly more disruptive.

The CON29O isn’t a box-ticking exercise and it isn’t bureaucratic padding. It’s a targeted set of enquiries that can surface risks the standard local search was never designed to catch – risks that are real, that affect real properties, and that can have lasting consequences for buyers who weren’t told about them.

If your conveyancer is raising optional questions, they’re doing their job properly. The answers are worth reading carefully, and if something comes back, it’s worth asking what it means before the keys change hands.

If you’re advising a buyer, the new TA6 is less about what’s asked, and more about what isn’t.

The newly released 6th edition reduces seller disclosure, but it doesn’t reduce buyer risk. Knowing which gaps now need to be filled elsewhere is key.

For our latest Five Minutes On… article, we tackle the much discussed TA6 form. Lets get into it.

What the new TA6 no longer asks… and why that matters

The 6th edition strips out nine sections that appeared in the 5th edition. Several of them are directly relevant to search-based due diligence.

Coalfield or mining area – sellers are no longer asked to disclose whether a property sits in a former coalfield or mining area. That risk doesn’t go away. A CON29M or specialist mining search remains the appropriate way to surface it.
Coastal erosion – removed from the TA6 entirely. For properties in at-risk coastal zones, an environmental or specialist coastal erosion search is the only reliable source of this information.
Building safety – questions around cladding, remediation and the Building Safety Act have been taken out of the standard form. For leasehold properties in scope, the TA7 5th edition (updated alongside the TA6) picks up some of this – but the position on leaseholder deed of certificate, service charges and remediation funding still needs careful handling.
Restrictive covenants – sellers are no longer prompted to disclose these. Title investigation and, where appropriate, indemnity insurance remain the tools to address gaps here.

What hasn’t changed

The seller’s legal obligations haven’t moved. Misrepresentation and caveat emptor still apply. The form being shorter doesn’t reduce the buyer’s exposure to undisclosed risks – it just means fewer of those risks are being asked about upfront.

The Law Society has confirmed that solicitors’ professional liability position is unchanged. A shorter form doesn’t reduce the duty of care.

A well-constructed search pack was always the right approach. The TA6 6th edition makes the case for it even more clearly, with less being captured at the seller disclosure stage, searches are increasingly where the picture gets completed.

With less being asked of sellers upfront, it falls to structured due diligence to carry the weight of those missing disclosures. The TA6 has been streamlined, not the risks that sit behind it, and that distinction matters when you’re building a search pack that genuinely protects your buyer.

The OneSearch team can help you identify which searches fill the gaps for any transaction. Explore the full Five Minutes On… library here.