A CEREMONY has been held at York Minster to mark the installation of solar tiles on the roof of its Refectory.

The event - attended by City of York Council members- featured a dedication by Acting Dean, the Rev Canon Michael Smith.

This is the first time solar have been installed on a York listed building and is the first major project in the 15-year York Minster Neighbourhood Plan.

The former site of The Minster School is currently being transformed into a restaurant café due open in 2023.

The tiles will produce around 10,000 KWH of power every year, helping minster ambitions to achieve operational net zero carbon, as outlined in the Neighbourhood Plan.

Alex McCallion, Director of Works and Precinct at York Minster, said the plan sets a precedent for other historic buildings, adding climate change is the ‘biggest external threat’ to the minster due to extreme weather events.

Cllr Paula Widdowson, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, said the tiles are a solution that “satisfies both our climate ambition and our conservation needs.”