Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Preston Park conservation area
In the Preston Park 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 5 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. 2,708 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 55.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 81.4% heat with a gas boiler and 68.3% are rated D–G; 21 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
2,708homes with an energy certificate
55.4%solid walls, no insulation
81.4%heated by a gas boiler
21heat 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 Preston Park
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: 5 in the area. 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: 65% 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 = 2,708)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,500
55.4%
Cavity wall, unfilled
618
22.8%
Cavity wall, filled
158
5.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
126
4.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
95
3.5%
Timber frame
94
3.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
37
1.4%
Solid wall, internal insulation
27
1.0%
Solid wall, insulated
19
0.7%
Other or not known
16
0.6%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
15
0.6%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.0%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
2,204
81.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
297
11.0%
Communal heating
183
6.8%
Heat pump
21
0.8%
LPG
2
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
396
14.6%
Under 200 mm
533
19.7%
200 mm or more
259
9.6%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
294
10.9%
Flat or other home above
1,152
42.5%
Other
74
2.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
2,131
78.7%
Single glazed
519
19.2%
Secondary glazing
56
2.1%
Triple glazed
2
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 6 (0.2%) · B 91 (3.4%) · C 761 (28.1%) · D 1,327 (49.0%) · E 458 (16.9%) · F 56 (2.1%) · G 9 (0.3%). Houses and bungalows: 35% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 24 September 1970.
Compared with Brighton and Hove and England
Share of homes
Preston Park
All 34 areas in Brighton and Hove
England
Solid walls, no insulation
55.4%
67.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
81.4%
69.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
68.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 52% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 27 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 44003045, reference 2075, 86.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.