Scene was appointed by the Dhammakaya Meditation Centre (DMC) to design, develop and secure planning consent for solar PV installations across two Grade II listed community sites in London and Newcastle. The projects required a carefully integrated approach, balancing technical performance, heritage sensitivity and planning compliance.
At the London site in Woking, Scene developed a multi-component scheme comprising rooftop solar and two solar car ports with integrated EV charging and battery storage. The system includes 87 panels with a total capacity of 48.6 kW, generating approximately 42,650 kWh annually and meeting around 36% of the site’s electricity demand. Scene led the full planning strategy, navigating a Prior Notification process and demonstrating compliance with national and local policy, while ensuring minimal visual and heritage impact. The design positioned infrastructure to the rear of the site and used non-intrusive mounting systems to preserve the historic fabric.
In Newcastle, Scene delivered a complementary rooftop solar scheme on the listed St. Andrews Centre, installing 17 panels with a capacity of approximately 9.5 kW across two rear extensions. The system was designed to supply around 31% of the building’s electricity demand, with a high proportion of on-site consumption. As Listed Building Consent was required, Scene prepared a detailed planning and heritage statement, evidencing that impacts would be “less than substantial” and outweighed by public benefits including carbon reduction and improved financial sustainability.
Across both projects, Scene provided end-to-end delivery including technical design, energy modelling, planning strategy, and preparation of planning and heritage documentation. The schemes demonstrate Scene’s ability to unlock renewable energy on constrained and sensitive sites, enabling community organisations to reduce costs, cut emissions and secure long-term operational resilience while preserving important historic assets.