Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Sackville Gardens conservation area
In the Sackville Gardens 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. 574 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 64.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 69.5% heat with a gas boiler and 58.0% are rated D–G; 3 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
574homes with an energy certificate
64.3%solid walls, no insulation
69.5%heated by a gas boiler
3heat 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 Sackville Gardens
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: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need listed building consent.
Flats: 80% 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 = 574)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
369
64.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
79
13.8%
Cavity wall, filled
30
5.2%
Timber frame
26
4.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
20
3.5%
Cavity wall, unfilled
17
3.0%
Solid wall, insulated
15
2.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
8
1.4%
Other or not known
5
0.9%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
4
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
399
69.5%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
93
16.2%
Communal heating
79
13.8%
Heat pump
3
0.5%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
63
11.0%
Under 200 mm
70
12.2%
200 mm or more
44
7.7%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
52
9.1%
Flat or other home above
307
53.5%
Other
38
6.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
436
76.0%
Single glazed
127
22.1%
Secondary glazing
11
1.9%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 91 (15.9%) · C 150 (26.1%) · D 219 (38.2%) · E 97 (16.9%) · F 13 (2.3%) · G 4 (0.7%). Houses and bungalows: 20% of the homes; solar panels on 0.5% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 18 February 1997.
Compared with Brighton and Hove and England
Share of homes
Sackville Gardens
All 34 areas in Brighton and Hove
England
Solid walls, no insulation
64.3%
67.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
69.5%
69.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
58.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 60% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 13 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 44003059, reference 2082, 13.1 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.