Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Jewellery Quarter conservation area
In the Jewellery Quarter conservation area (Birmingham), 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 Birmingham covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. The area has 206 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. 7,059 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 5.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 8.0% heat with a gas boiler and 14.9% are rated D–G; 27 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
7,059homes with an energy certificate
5.1%solid walls, no insulation
8.0%heated by a gas boiler
27heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Birmingham covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. (CITY WIDE HMO)
What needs planning permission in Jewellery Quarter
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: 206 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 7). 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: 97% 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 = 7,059)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
3,123
44.2%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
1,494
21.2%
Other or not known
1,392
19.7%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
358
5.1%
Solid wall, insulated
209
3.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
173
2.5%
Solid wall, internal insulation
129
1.8%
Cavity wall, filled
82
1.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
56
0.8%
Timber frame
30
0.4%
Solid wall, partly insulated
8
0.1%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.0%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.0%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
6,258
88.7%
Gas boiler
564
8.0%
Communal heating
209
3.0%
Heat pump
27
0.4%
LPG
1
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
73
1.0%
Under 200 mm
49
0.7%
200 mm or more
111
1.6%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
766
10.9%
Flat or other home above
5,299
75.1%
Other
760
10.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
6,723
95.3%
Single glazed
191
2.7%
Secondary glazing
131
1.9%
Triple glazed
13
0.2%
BCD
Energy rating: A 231 (3.3%) · B 2,305 (32.7%) · C 3,472 (49.2%) · D 848 (12.0%) · E 186 (2.6%) · F 9 (0.1%) · G 8 (0.1%). Houses and bungalows: 3% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2003-2006. Designated: 10 January 1980.
Compared with Birmingham and England
Share of homes
Jewellery Quarter
All 29 areas in Birmingham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
5.1%
31.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
8.0%
46.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
14.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 71% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 27 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 Birmingham if in doubt.
Boundary: Birmingham City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44009848, reference 17, 94.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.