Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Basingstoke Town conservation area
In the Basingstoke Town conservation area (Basingstoke and Deane), 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 Basingstoke and Deane covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. The area has 36 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. 446 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 12.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 47.5% heat with a gas boiler and 42.2% are rated D–G; 9 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
446homes with an energy certificate
12.8%solid walls, no insulation
47.5%heated by a gas boiler
9heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Basingstoke and Deane covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. (Basingstoke Town and Chineham and the surrounding villages of Old Basing, Oakley and Sherborne St John.)
What needs planning permission in Basingstoke Town
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)
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)
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)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 36 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: 83% 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 = 446)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
169
37.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
88
19.7%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
57
12.8%
Timber frame
28
6.3%
Cavity wall, filled
23
5.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
21
4.7%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
20
4.5%
Other or not known
20
4.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
7
1.6%
Solid wall, insulated
7
1.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
6
1.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
224
50.2%
Gas boiler
212
47.5%
Heat pump
9
2.0%
Communal heating
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
19
4.3%
Under 200 mm
47
10.5%
200 mm or more
37
8.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
47
10.5%
Flat or other home above
189
42.4%
Other
107
24.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
416
93.3%
Single glazed
15
3.4%
Triple glazed
10
2.2%
Secondary glazing
5
1.1%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 58 (13.0%) · C 200 (44.8%) · D 143 (32.1%) · E 40 (9.0%) · F 3 (0.7%) · G 2 (0.4%). Houses and bungalows: 17% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1977.
Compared with Basingstoke and Deane and England
Share of homes
Basingstoke Town
All 43 areas in Basingstoke and Deane
England
Solid walls, no insulation
12.8%
24.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
47.5%
62.0%
66.4%
Rated D–G
42.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 16 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 Basingstoke and Deane if in doubt.
Boundary: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44016239, reference 8446, 31.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.