Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Town Centre Heritage conservation area
In the Town Centre Heritage 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 163 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. 1,033 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 10.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 67.9% heat with a gas boiler and 39.2% 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
1,033homes with an energy certificate
10.1%solid walls, no insulation
67.9%heated by a gas boiler
1heat 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 Town Centre Heritage
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: 163 in the area (grade I: 3, II*: 11). 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: 73% 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 = 1,033)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
243
23.5%
Cavity wall, filled
206
19.9%
Cavity wall, unfilled
165
16.0%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
161
15.6%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
104
10.1%
Other or not known
66
6.4%
Timber frame
44
4.3%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
19
1.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
15
1.5%
Solid wall, insulated
7
0.7%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.2%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
701
67.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
322
31.2%
Communal heating
7
0.7%
Heat pump
1
0.1%
LPG
1
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
71
6.9%
Under 200 mm
144
13.9%
200 mm or more
105
10.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
161
15.6%
Flat or other home above
469
45.4%
Other
83
8.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
957
92.6%
Single glazed
44
4.3%
Secondary glazing
29
2.8%
Triple glazed
3
0.3%
BCD
Energy rating: B 194 (18.8%) · C 434 (42.0%) · D 309 (29.9%) · E 81 (7.8%) · F 8 (0.8%) · G 7 (0.7%). Houses and bungalows: 27% of the homes; solar panels on 0.6% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1983-1990. Designated: 18 December 2012.
Compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England
Share of homes
Town Centre Heritage
All 47 areas in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
England
Solid walls, no insulation
10.1%
6.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
67.9%
63.6%
66.4%
Rated D–G
39.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 57% 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 44017486, reference CA24, 30.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.