GUYS.

I think we might actually be getting somewhere.

After years of being told my front roof was basically too historic for solar panels, I’ve officially lodged my Development Application (DA).

At the same time, Inner West Council is reviewing planning rules around solar panels on heritage homes.

Which means this weird little roof saga that has quietly consumed a surprising amount of my life… may finally be shifting.

We are absolutely not out of the woods yet.

But for the first time in a long time, it feels like there might actually be a path forward.

And because I suspect I’m very much not the only person staring at their roof in frustration, I thought I’d explain what’s been going on.

The Problem With Solar Panels on Heritage Homes

For anyone new here: I’m building an off-grid-ish house in inner-city Sydney.

As in:

• No mains water (rainwater tanks + recycled water)

• My loo has no sewer connection (incinerating toilet… yes really)

• Solar + battery

• No gas

Basically, I’ve been trying to answer a question:

Can a very normal house in the middle of the city become more self-sufficient?

Tiny problem though.

My house sits in a Heritage Conservation Area (HCA) in the Inner West.

Historically, this has meant restrictions on solar panels visible from the street, particularly on front-facing roofs.

Which becomes awkward when your back roof is tiny.

Because if you want to electrify your house, run batteries, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and generate meaningful renewable energy…

You need roof space.

Why Front Roof Solar Matters in the Inner West

A lot of sustainability advice quietly assumes everyone lives in a large freestanding home with a giant north-facing roof and unlimited space.

That is… not the Inner West.

Many homes here are:

• Small terraces

• Narrow blocks

• Heritage homes

• Shaded

• Weird roof shapes

• Limited rear roof access

And if we’re serious about getting more people onto renewable energy, planning rules need to work for ordinary houses. Not just ideal houses.

Because the reality is:

For many older Sydney homes, the front roof is often the best or only viable place for solar panels.

And that’s where things have historically become complicated.

“Electrify Your Home!” …But Not That Roof

This whole thing has always felt slightly contradictory.

Everyone says:

“Get off gas.”

“Install solar.”

“Electrify your home.”

Me: “Great.”

Planning rules: “Not THAT roof.”

To be clear, I understand the heritage argument. I genuinely love old homes. I don’t want beautiful streetscapes destroyed. But there has to be a middle ground where:

• heritage values are respected

• climate action is possible

• ordinary people can realistically transition to renewable energy

Because protecting old buildings while making it harder to decarbonise them feels like a strange long-term strategy.

This Stopped Being Just My Weird Roof Problem

What started as me being mildly annoyed about rooflines somehow became a much bigger conversation.

Over the years, HEAPS of people in the Inner West reached out saying:

“Same problem.”

People wanting solar.

Blocked by front roof restrictions.

Turns out there are quite a lot of us quietly staring at our roofs in frustration.

Back in 2020, I even started a petition asking Inner West Council to reconsider the rules around solar panels on front roofs.

You can see the petition here:

Permit Solar Panels on Front Roofs
https://www.change.org/p/inner-west-council-permit-solar-panels-on-front-roofs

More than 1,400 people have signed, many sharing stories about wanting renewable energy but being blocked by planning constraints.

Which suggests this issue is much bigger than my house.

 

Grand Designs, ABC, SMH… and Unexpected Roof Advocacy

Somewhere along the way, this unexpectedly stopped being a niche argument about my roof.

The team at Grand Designs Australia helped shine a light on the issue while documenting the build.

Then the Sydney Morning Herald and ABC News covered the story too, helping start a broader conversation about whether heritage rules need to evolve for climate action.

You can read the media coverage here:

Sydney Morning Herald:
“One big bummer ruined Laura Ryan’s dream of going off-grid in the inner city”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/one-big-bummer-ruined-laura-ryan-s-dream-of-going-off-grid-in-the-inner-city-20241211-p5kxkj.html

ABC News:
“Could an off-grid house work in inner-city Sydney?”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-18/off-grid-inner-city-sydney-house-plan-laura-ryan/104734666

Huge thanks to the Grand Designs Australia team, especially @dgruso, @simonreeve, @anthony_burke_ and @sallygriffo, for helping bring visibility to the issue.

And thank you to Julie Power for her Sydney Morning Herald coverage.

 

What’s Changing at Inner West Council?

This is the bit that matters.

Inner West Council is currently consulting on proposed planning rule changes, including updates relating to sustainability and solar.

You can read more about the consultation here:

Inner West Council Development Control Plan consultation:
https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/inner-west-development-control-plan

And current information on solar approvals here:

https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/development-support/development-approvals-solar

At the same time, I’ve officially lodged my Development Application for solar panels on the front roof.

Does that mean success is guaranteed?

Absolutely not.

Could this still become a bureaucratic rollercoaster involving heritage reports and roof diagrams?

Very possibly.

But this genuinely feels like the closest we’ve ever been.

A Huge Thank You to the People Helping Make This House Happen

This little but bold experiment would not exist without a lot of very talented people.

Huge thanks to:

@modusarhitects for designing my sustainable house.

@kingbuildinggroup for building it.

@rlelec (Roland Lawrence), my solar expert and one of the people helping support many of us Inner Westies trying to get more solar onto front roofs.

@roy_v_ames for the Aqua Clarus water recycling system.

@engageplumbing for the greywater plumbing.

John Caley – Ecological Design for designing the rainwater harvesting system.

@precision_tiling for laying my handmade sustainable tiles and making only a very reasonable amount of fun of me for the price tag.

@dna_decorators for painstakingly restoring my front door to its former glory.

How You Can Help

If you care about:

• Renewable energy
• Practical climate action
• Making sustainability possible in ordinary homes
• Getting more solar onto heritage homes in Sydney

…I’d really appreciate your help.

1. If You Live in the Inner West: Support the Consultation

You can provide feedback on the proposed changes through the Inner West Council consultation.

You can:

• Complete the survey online
• Email: planning@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
• Mail feedback to:

Inner West Council
PO Box 14
Petersham NSW 2049
c/o Strategic Planning

Submissions close: 28 June 2026

2. No Time for Council Processes?

I get it. Everyone is busy!

You can still support by signing my petition here:

https://www.change.org/p/inner-west-council-permit-solar-panels-on-front-roofs

I’ll include community support as part of my feedback when I submit my submission.

3. Share This Story

Because I suspect there are far more people dealing with this issue than most of us realise.

And the more visible the problem becomes, the harder it is to ignore.

After six years of yelling about roofs on the internet…

I reckon we might finally have a shot.