Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Old Town conservation area
In the Old Town conservation area (Brighton and Hove), 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 113 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. 658 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 38.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 29.2% heat with a gas boiler and 43.3% are rated D–G; 5 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
658homes with an energy certificate
38.4%solid walls, no insulation
29.2%heated by a gas boiler
5heat pumps
Article 4: Brighton and Hove does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Old Town
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: 113 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 3). 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: 94% 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 = 658)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
253
38.4%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
101
15.3%
Other or not known
83
12.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
69
10.5%
Solid wall, insulated
60
9.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
36
5.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
24
3.6%
Timber frame
16
2.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
7
1.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
5
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
410
62.3%
Gas boiler
192
29.2%
Communal heating
51
7.8%
Heat pump
5
0.8%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
72
11.0%
Under 200 mm
30
4.6%
200 mm or more
51
7.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
81
12.3%
Flat or other home above
364
55.4%
Other
59
9.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
421
64.0%
Single glazed
173
26.3%
Secondary glazing
43
6.5%
Triple glazed
21
3.2%
CDE
Energy rating: A 4 (0.6%) · B 52 (7.9%) · C 317 (48.2%) · D 174 (26.4%) · E 98 (14.9%) · F 12 (1.8%) · G 1 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 6% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 January 1973.
Compared with Brighton and Hove and England
Share of homes
Old Town
All 34 areas in Brighton and Hove
England
Solid walls, no insulation
38.4%
67.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
29.2%
69.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
43.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 69% 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 Brighton and Hove if in doubt.
Boundary: Brighton and Hove City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44003053, reference 2070, 18.9 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.