Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Portslade Old Village conservation area
In the Portslade Old Village 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 15 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. 109 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 30.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 60.6% heat with a gas boiler and 44.0% 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
109homes with an energy certificate
30.3%solid walls, no insulation
60.6%heated by a gas boiler
1heat 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 Portslade Old Village
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: 15 in the area (grade I: 0, 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: 47% 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 = 109)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
48
44.0%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
33
30.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
9
8.3%
Cavity wall, filled
7
6.4%
Solid wall, insulated
4
3.7%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
3
2.8%
Other or not known
3
2.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
1
0.9%
Timber frame
1
0.9%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
66
60.6%
Communal heating
33
30.3%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
9
8.3%
Heat pump
1
0.9%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
17
15.6%
Under 200 mm
14
12.8%
200 mm or more
10
9.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
12
11.0%
Flat or other home above
25
22.9%
Other
31
28.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
91
83.5%
Single glazed
14
12.8%
Secondary glazing
4
3.7%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 16 (14.7%) · C 45 (41.3%) · D 22 (20.2%) · E 21 (19.3%) · F 4 (3.7%) · G 1 (0.9%). Houses and bungalows: 53% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2020. Designated: 28 November 1974.
Compared with Brighton and Hove and England
Share of homes
Portslade Old Village
All 34 areas in Brighton and Hove
England
Solid walls, no insulation
30.3%
67.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
60.6%
69.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
44.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 71% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 20 July 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 44004195, reference 2074, 14.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.