Two landmark Coventry buildings have been reimagined with hundreds of new solar panels as part of an eco-friendly bid by the city council.

The authority wants to install more than 330 solar panels on the roofs of Grade II listed sites Broadgate House and the Council House.

Plans are part of a £1.3 million scheme to fit solar panels on up to 39 council-owned buildings to provide renewable power.

The first two schemes have been submitted for listed building consent and planning approval - and now new CGIs have been produced to demonstrate how the panels would look.

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It shows 85 panels would be placed on the Tudor-style Council House and 247 on the landmark post-war Broadgate House.

The panels on Broadgate House would be installed on flat roof areas on the fifth and sixth floors and produce 55,735 kWh a year, which would save around 29 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Panels on the Council House would be placed partly on flat roof and slanted roof sections at the rear of the building, providing 21,884 kWh a year and saving 11.36 tonnes of CO2 annually.

How solar panels would look on the top of Council House

Heritage statements sent as part of planning submissions for both say the solar panels “will not be visible from ground level”.

Planning statements add: “The solar PV system will be used to decrease the reliance on fossil fuels given the amount consumed on site for commercial activity.

“The installation of a renewable source of energy will help reduce the council’s carbon footprint, lower their annual usage of electricity from a non-renewable source and export excess renewable generation for others in the area to use.”

The city council has said the panels would save around £1.5m in the long term.

Half of the project cost will be grant-funded from the European Regional Development Fund and half paid by the council.

Cabinet member responsible Cllr Jim O’Boyle said last month: “It is making sure we reduce our carbon footprint which is what we want to see, whilst reducing our energy bills.”

Solar panel firm Spirit Solar Ltd has been chosen as the contractor if the schemes go ahead, pending approval by July.