Homeowner spends $10,000 on solar panels in Oaks, NSW – only to find they may be worthless

A homeowner is devastated after spending $10,000 on solar panels and learning a two-story home is being built next door, blocking sunlight from entering her home.

Sharon Robertson, who lives in The Oaks in south-west Sydney, said the project next door has been approved by local council.

She claims her pleas to the council fell on deaf ears, leaving her at her wits end.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Ms. Robertson said 7NEWS.

“Even the mayor and four other councilors stood up for me and said, ‘What the hell?'”

Sharon Robertson (pictured), who lives in The Oaks, south-west of Sydney, said the two-storey building next door had been approved by local council – which basically told her she was “unlucky”.

Ms Robertson said she felt the council had told her “well, bad luck”, adding that development (pictured a plan of the property next to her house) would prevent the sun from getting in during the crucial winter months falls on their panels

Ms Robertson said the development would prevent the sun from hitting her panels during the crucial winter months.

Ben Taylor, CEO of Wollondilly Shire Council, said the forthcoming construction “complies with the development regulations applicable to the site and the environmental impact is not disproportionate”.

Councilor Suzy Brandstater said she was disappointed with the decision, saying it would be “unfair” for someone to build a house that blocks the panels’ energy source.

Wollondilly MP Judy Hannan said the state’s planning rules needed to change and Planning NSW needed to have a vision of how to manage them going forward.

This comes after one of Australia’s best-known radio presenters reignited the solar panel debate last year by claiming the “clean, green source of energy” has environmental problems.

Sydney Radio 2GB presenter Ben Fordham posed questions about the “fragile” and “flawed” business case for Panels after he was inundated with complaints from listeners at the time who doubted a push for the switch.

Fordham said authorities could not hide the fact that many question marks remain about the panels, even though half a million homes in New South Wales alone have them installed, including himself.

To get the most out of the system, it costs Australians an average of $10,000 for the panels and up to $16,000 for the battery to get the most out of the system, the host claimed.

To get the most out of the system, it costs Australians an average of $10,000 for the panels and up to $16,000 for the battery, 2GB radio host Ben Fordham claimed last year

“People have installed solar panels hoping to save money in the long run,” he said.

“But more and more experts are pointing out that the ‘Day of Savings’ is being pushed back further and further.”

“Listeners have pointed out to us that they’re not really saving any money after switching.”

“It sounds like people are starting to develop buyer’s remorse.”

One woman told Fordham that her household is now paying $80 more per quarter than it was before she switched to solar power two years ago because she is paying back the cost of the panels.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment was contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment.