Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Earls Colne and White Colne West and East conservation area
In the Earls Colne and White Colne West and East conservation area (Braintree), 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 88 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. 633 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 20.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 89.9% heat with a gas boiler and 54.0% are rated D–G; 7 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
633homes with an energy certificate
20.4%solid walls, no insulation
89.9%heated by a gas boiler
7heat pumps
Article 4: Braintree does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Earls Colne and White Colne West and East
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: 88 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 2). 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: 14% 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 = 633)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
247
39.0%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
129
20.4%
Cavity wall, filled
76
12.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
67
10.6%
Timber frame
53
8.4%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
24
3.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
16
2.5%
Solid wall, insulated
14
2.2%
Solid wall, internal insulation
5
0.8%
Other or not known
1
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
569
89.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
34
5.4%
Communal heating
12
1.9%
Heat pump
7
1.1%
Oil
6
0.9%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
4
0.6%
LPG
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
44
7.0%
Under 200 mm
226
35.7%
200 mm or more
218
34.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
83
13.1%
Flat or other home above
38
6.0%
Other
24
3.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
525
82.9%
Single glazed
74
11.7%
Secondary glazing
33
5.2%
Triple glazed
1
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: B 20 (3.2%) · C 271 (42.8%) · D 242 (38.2%) · E 80 (12.6%) · F 16 (2.5%) · G 4 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 86% of the homes; solar panels on 0.6% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 27 November 1969.
Compared with Braintree and England
Share of homes
Earls Colne and White Colne West and East
All 37 areas in Braintree
England
Solid walls, no insulation
20.4%
22.2%
48.7%
Gas boiler
89.9%
59.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
54.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 44% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 20 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 Braintree if in doubt.
Boundary: Braintree District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44001105, reference 4426, 73.9 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.