Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in East Cliff conservation area
In the East Cliff conservation area (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole), 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 16 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. 2,475 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 4.2% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 48.8% heat with a gas boiler and 44.2% 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
2,475homes with an energy certificate
4.2%solid walls, no insulation
48.8%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in East Cliff
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: 16 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: 96% 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 = 2,475)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, unfilled
952
38.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
488
19.7%
Cavity wall, filled
273
11.0%
Other or not known
221
8.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
178
7.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
134
5.4%
Timber frame
120
4.8%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
103
4.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
3
0.1%
Solid wall, insulated
2
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.0%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,208
48.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
707
28.6%
Communal heating
556
22.5%
Heat pump
2
0.1%
Oil
2
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
175
7.1%
Under 200 mm
62
2.5%
200 mm or more
71
2.9%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
209
8.4%
Flat or other home above
1,883
76.1%
Other
75
3.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
2,333
94.3%
Single glazed
124
5.0%
Secondary glazing
13
0.5%
Triple glazed
4
0.2%
Other
1
0.0%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 8 (0.3%) · B 271 (10.9%) · C 1,101 (44.5%) · D 747 (30.2%) · E 311 (12.6%) · F 32 (1.3%) · G 5 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 4% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1967-1975. Designated: 24 November 1987.
Compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England
Share of homes
East Cliff
All 47 areas in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
England
Solid walls, no insulation
4.2%
6.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
48.8%
63.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
44.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 53% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 29 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole if in doubt.
Boundary: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44017457, reference THEE, 78.0 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.