Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Abbey and Barking Town Centre conservation area
In the Abbey and Barking Town Centre conservation area (Barking and Dagenham), external wall insulation needs planning permission, and so does an air source heat pump on a wall or roof facing the road; one at the back or side, internal and loft insulation and solar panels on a roof slope normally do not. An Article 4 direction published by Barking and Dagenham covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 7 listed buildings; on a listed building solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development at all and need planning permission and listed building consent. 202 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 57.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 76.7% heat with a gas boiler and 57.9% are rated D–G; 2 have a heat pump. EPC register November 2026; rules as at 21 October 2026.
Data: EPC register November 2026 (latest certificate per home), conservation area boundaries 3 November 2026, permitted development rules as at 21 October 2026 · calculated 5 November 2026 · Methodology and sources
202homes with an energy certificate
57.9%solid walls, no insulation
76.7%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Barking and Dagenham covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (HMO Article 4)
What needs planning permission in Abbey and Barking Town Centre
Work (house, not listed)
In a conservation area
Rule
Air source heat pump on a wall or roof facing the road, or nearer the road than the house
Planning permission needed
Part 14 Class G, G.1(j)
Air source heat pump at the back or side (outdoor unit up to 1.5 m³, MCS Planning Standards, one per house — two on a detached house)
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 14 Class G
Solar panels on a pitched roof (up to 0.2 m proud, not above the ridge)
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 14 Class A, A.2(c)
Solar panels on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure facing the road
Planning permission needed
Part 14 Class A, A.2(e)
Solar panels on a flat roof (up to 0.6 m above the roof)
Prior approval of appearance from the council, unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 7 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 1). The table is for houses that are not listed: on a listed building, solar panels and air source heat pumps are not permitted development at all (they need planning permission), and any of these works needs listed building consent.
Flats: 99% of the certified homes here are flats or maisonettes. Homes in a block of flats have no householder rights for alterations; heat pumps and solar have their own, tighter rules for blocks of flats.
The homes in the area (latest certificate per home, n = 202)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
117
57.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
32
15.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
29
14.4%
Other or not known
8
4.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
6
3.0%
Timber frame
6
3.0%
Cavity wall, filled
1
0.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
1
0.5%
Solid wall, insulated
1
0.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.5%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
155
76.7%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
44
21.8%
Heat pump
2
1.0%
Communal heating
1
0.5%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
44
21.8%
Under 200 mm
27
13.4%
200 mm or more
8
4.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
15
7.4%
Flat or other home above
90
44.6%
Other
18
8.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
184
91.1%
Secondary glazing
9
4.5%
Single glazed
9
4.5%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 31 (15.3%) · C 54 (26.7%) · D 85 (42.1%) · E 31 (15.3%) · F 1 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 1% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 10 August 1975.
Compared with Barking and Dagenham and England
Share of homes
Abbey and Barking Town Centre
All 4 areas in Barking and Dagenham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
57.9%
32.0%
48.7%
Gas boiler
76.7%
48.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
57.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 73% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 31 October 2026). “No insulation (assumed)” is the assessor's default for older walls.
The rules are England's national permitted development rules (General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2, as at 21 October 2026). They do not cover building regulations or a council's own conditions. This is not a planning decision: ask Barking and Dagenham if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44002918, reference CA004, 16.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.