Workers are busy on the roof of King’s College Church in Cambridge, one of the oldest and most famous churches in England: installing solar panels, much to the excitement of heritage campaigners.
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The church, built by King Henry VI in 1441, is a jewel of Gothic architecture, and is particularly famous for its 16th-century stained glass windows. It is part of King’s College, Cambridge’s most prestigious university.
Every year for Christmas, the BBC broadcasts a church choir concert. There, time seems to have stopped.
But last year, work began to restore the lead roof, which had lost its ability to resist water leakage. In February, approval was given to install 438 photovoltaic panels, despite criticism that this would irreversibly damage the “authenticity” and “integrity” of the building.
According to the university, the church’s roof is the best place on its site to produce renewable energy. Once installed, the solar panels will produce 123,000 kilowatt hours annually, or 5.5% of the college’s electricity needs, she says.
France Press agency
“When we think about young people and their future, we have to take the climate crisis seriously,” Stephen Cherry, the dean of the church, told AFP. “For me, it is a wonderful opportunity to combine these two things: tradition and the future of man.”
For Gillian Tait, Dean of King’s College, the restoration represents a landmark moment for the church and British architectural heritage.
“It is just a step on the way towards cleaner, greener energy, but a symbol of our commitment to being good stewards of our environment,” she appeals.
Reflective panels
On the other hand, Historic England, which is responsible for protecting English heritage, said it was “disappointed” by the decision to install solar panels on the roof of the church. This organization said: “It is one of the most extraordinary monuments in England.” The panels “would detract from the beauty of the church.”
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Historic England said: “There are many sites in Cambridge where renewable energy can be produced without causing damage to the city’s outstanding historic character.”
The dark panels blend in with the rest of the ceiling. But John Neal, head of development consultancy Historic England, laments: “They are very speculative and will introduce a very contradictory element.”
In February, Cambridge City Council’s head of planning recommended the city reject the project, saying the panels would undermine the “authenticity and integrity” of the church’s architecture.
But the city finally gave its approval on February 7. The installation of the solar panels is scheduled to be completed by the end of December.
