Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in West Hill conservation area
In the West Hill 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. 2,037 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 80.2% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 76.6% heat with a gas boiler and 60.6% are rated D–G; 2 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
2,037homes with an energy certificate
80.2%solid walls, no insulation
76.6%heated by a gas boiler
2heat 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 West Hill
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*: 1). 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: 78% 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 = 2,037)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,634
80.2%
Cavity wall, unfilled
83
4.1%
Timber frame
72
3.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
66
3.2%
Cavity wall, filled
53
2.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
44
2.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
40
2.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
14
0.7%
Other or not known
12
0.6%
Solid wall, insulated
9
0.4%
Solid wall, partly insulated
5
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.1%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,561
76.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
448
22.0%
Communal heating
23
1.1%
Heat pump
2
0.1%
LPG
2
0.1%
Oil
1
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
291
14.3%
Under 200 mm
268
13.2%
200 mm or more
159
7.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
156
7.7%
Flat or other home above
1,134
55.7%
Other
29
1.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,195
58.7%
Single glazed
806
39.6%
Secondary glazing
34
1.7%
Triple glazed
2
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: B 25 (1.2%) · C 778 (38.2%) · D 881 (43.2%) · E 300 (14.7%) · F 40 (2.0%) · G 13 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 22% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 6 January 1977.
Compared with Brighton and Hove and England
Share of homes
West Hill
All 34 areas in Brighton and Hove
England
Solid walls, no insulation
80.2%
67.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
76.6%
69.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
60.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 57% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 30 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 44003052, reference 2086, 22.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.