Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Christ Church conservation area
In the Christ Church conservation area (Bexley), 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. 181 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 64.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 89.0% heat with a gas boiler and 75.7% are rated D–G; 1 has 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
181homes with an energy certificate
64.1%solid walls, no insulation
89.0%heated by a gas boiler
1heat pumps
Article 4: Bexley does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Christ Church
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: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need listed building consent.
Flats: 29% 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 = 181)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
116
64.1%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
34
18.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
21
11.6%
Cavity wall, filled
3
1.7%
Solid wall, insulated
3
1.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
2
1.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
1
0.6%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.6%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
161
89.0%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
19
10.5%
Heat pump
1
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
36
19.9%
Under 200 mm
58
32.0%
200 mm or more
33
18.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
14
7.7%
Flat or other home above
13
7.2%
Other
27
14.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
159
87.8%
Single glazed
14
7.7%
Secondary glazing
8
4.4%
ACDEF
Energy rating: A 18 (9.9%) · B 7 (3.9%) · C 19 (10.5%) · D 66 (36.5%) · E 55 (30.4%) · F 15 (8.3%) · G 1 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 71% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 19 February 1992.
Compared with Bexley and England
Share of homes
Christ Church
All 31 areas in Bexley
England
Solid walls, no insulation
64.1%
56.9%
48.7%
Gas boiler
89.0%
79.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
75.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 49% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 11 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 Bexley if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Bexley via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44002792, reference 4822, 20.6 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.