Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Bishopsworth and Malago conservation area
In the Bishopsworth and Malago conservation area (Bristol), 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 4 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. 778 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 24.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 87.4% heat with a gas boiler and 60.8% are rated D–G; 6 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
778homes with an energy certificate
24.9%solid walls, no insulation
87.4%heated by a gas boiler
6heat pumps
Article 4: Bristol publishes its Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk and none overlaps this area; a direction can still exist on paper, so check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Bishopsworth and Malago
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)
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)
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)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 4 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: 26% 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 = 778)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, filled
209
26.9%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
194
24.9%
Cavity wall, unfilled
172
22.1%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
89
11.4%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
54
6.9%
Other or not known
23
3.0%
Timber frame
12
1.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
11
1.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
5
0.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
5
0.6%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.4%
Solid wall, insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
680
87.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
70
9.0%
Communal heating
15
1.9%
Heat pump
6
0.8%
Oil
5
0.6%
LPG
1
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
78
10.0%
Under 200 mm
217
27.9%
200 mm or more
250
32.1%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
96
12.3%
Flat or other home above
91
11.7%
Other
46
5.9%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
762
97.9%
Single glazed
14
1.8%
Other
1
0.1%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
CDE
Energy rating: A 6 (0.8%) · B 53 (6.8%) · C 246 (31.6%) · D 322 (41.4%) · E 120 (15.4%) · F 26 (3.3%) · G 5 (0.6%). Houses and bungalows: 74% of the homes; solar panels on 2.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1950-1966. Designated: 7 October 1998.
Compared with Bristol and England
Share of homes
Bishopsworth and Malago
All 34 areas in Bristol
England
Solid walls, no insulation
24.9%
43.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
87.4%
62.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
60.8%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 44% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 26 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 Bristol if in doubt.
Boundary: Bristol City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44010597, reference CA32, 102.6 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.