SOLAR panels put up without planning permission by West Devon Borough Council at their offices at Kilworthy Park, Tavistock, have been turned down — by the council's own planning committee.

Planners voted on Tuesday to throw out the scheme to put photovoltaic cells on the roof slopes at the existing entrance to the building because they said they would be 'very prominent and inappropriate in that location'.

It was also considered that the other element of the scheme — three storage units at the east end of the new car park — were in an inappropriate location adjacent to the cycle track.

Chairman of the planning committee Philip Sanders said the committee was supportive of energy efficiency but it also had to be aware of the effect solar panels would have on roofs in a sensitive environment: 'They are a silver colour and very prominent. They can be seen from the cycle track and from other places.

'If this application had come to us from anyone else we would have turned it down, so we did not feel we could make an exception because it was the borough council.'

Mr Sanders said he was 'disappointed' that the panels had been put in place before planning permission had been sought.

Officers from the council said the panels were in the best position to get the most sunlight, but unfortunately this was on the most prominent roof slopes and there was no opportunity for screening. It was, in officer opinion, however, that the sustainability considerations outweighed any 'slight visual detriment'.

Lesley Halton, a borough council corporate director, said: 'Following the decision by the planning committee to refuse the application for photovoltaic cells, the architect who has led the Kilworthy Park project will be appealing against it.

'The application was retrospective because at the time the original planning application was made in May 2006 for the redevelopment works at Kilworthy Park, an assessment was still being carried out to identify the most efficient and economic energy saving technology for the building.

'Further discussions will now take place with the architect in light of the decision.'