Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Darwen Town Centre conservation area
In the Darwen Town Centre conservation area (Blackburn with Darwen), 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. The area has 6 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. 277 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 72.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 78.0% heat with a gas boiler and 68.2% 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
277homes with an energy certificate
72.9%solid walls, no insulation
78.0%heated by a gas boiler
1heat pumps
Article 4: Blackburn with Darwen does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Darwen 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: 6 in the area (grade I: 0, 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: 33% 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 = 277)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
202
72.9%
Solid wall, insulated
36
13.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
14
5.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
8
2.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
7
2.5%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
4
1.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.7%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
0.7%
Cavity wall, filled
1
0.4%
Timber frame
1
0.4%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
216
78.0%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
55
19.9%
Communal heating
4
1.4%
Heat pump
1
0.4%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
79
28.5%
Under 200 mm
44
15.9%
200 mm or more
77
27.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
39
14.1%
Flat or other home above
35
12.6%
Other
3
1.1%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
264
95.3%
Single glazed
12
4.3%
Triple glazed
1
0.4%
CDE
Energy rating: A 9 (3.2%) · B 12 (4.3%) · C 67 (24.2%) · D 121 (43.7%) · E 53 (19.1%) · F 8 (2.9%) · G 7 (2.5%). Houses and bungalows: 67% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1995.
Compared with Blackburn with Darwen and England
Share of homes
Darwen Town Centre
All 15 areas in Blackburn with Darwen
England
Solid walls, no insulation
72.9%
50.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
78.0%
79.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
68.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 59% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 28 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 Blackburn with Darwen if in doubt.
Boundary: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44004782, reference 3230, 16.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.