THE owners of a remote and historic Goodrich farm, formerly used for holiday lets, have been told they will have to remove the solar panels which have been installed on a listed barn without planning permission.

Herefordshire Council served an enforcement notice on the owners of Mainoaks Farm Cottages, which is located beside the River Wye, and states that there has been unauthorised erection of 28 solar panels attached to curtilage-listed barn.

The farmstead is located at the foot of Coppet Hill, with surviving historic outbuildings including a farmhouse dating from the 15th century, a 17th-century granary, an 18th-century barn and a mid-19th-century cider mill which are all based within 80-acres of wild pastureland.

The enforcement notice states that the panels, fitted to the south-facing roof of the barn, “are very visible within the group, but less so from wider views”, though they can still be made out from a public footpath and nearby river bridge.

The notice states that these solar panels “adversely impact on the character and appearance of the barn itself and the setting of the other listed buildings”, adding that the “small public benefit to the environment” of the solar panels “does not outweigh the harm”.

It gives the owners three months from May 15 to remove the solar panels, along with its associated wiring and the inverter, from the barn.

A spokesperson for Herefordshire Council said it was not aware of the owners having submitted an appeal against the enforcement, adding: “A site visit isn’t due until after the compliance date.”

It appears the six cottages at the farm ceased to be offered for holiday accommodation in 2012, despite favourable online reviews and additionally the listed phone number is no longer active.