Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Camden Town conservation area
In the Camden Town conservation area (Camden), 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. An Article 4 direction published by Camden covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 47 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. 1,764 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 62.2% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 64.9% heat with a gas boiler and 42.6% are rated D–G; 22 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
1,764homes with an energy certificate
62.2%solid walls, no insulation
64.9%heated by a gas boiler
22heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Camden covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Basements; Commercial, Business, and Service (Use Class E) to residential (Use Class C3) (in CAZ))
What needs planning permission in Camden Town
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: 47 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: 91% 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 = 1,764)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,098
62.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
133
7.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
130
7.4%
Other or not known
100
5.7%
Solid wall, internal insulation
78
4.4%
Cavity wall, unfilled
53
3.0%
Timber frame
50
2.8%
Cavity wall, filled
49
2.8%
Solid wall, insulated
43
2.4%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
13
0.7%
Solid wall, external insulation
8
0.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
7
0.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
2
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,145
64.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
330
18.7%
Communal heating
265
15.0%
Heat pump
22
1.2%
LPG
2
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
269
15.2%
Under 200 mm
98
5.6%
200 mm or more
39
2.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
224
12.7%
Flat or other home above
1,063
60.3%
Other
71
4.0%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,272
72.1%
Single glazed
429
24.3%
Secondary glazing
57
3.2%
Triple glazed
6
0.3%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 149 (8.4%) · C 864 (49.0%) · D 579 (32.8%) · E 157 (8.9%) · F 11 (0.6%) · G 4 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 9% of the homes; solar panels on 0.1% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 November 1986.
Compared with Camden and England
Share of homes
Camden Town
All 40 areas in Camden
England
Solid walls, no insulation
62.2%
67.1%
48.7%
Gas boiler
64.9%
67.5%
66.4%
Rated D–G
42.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 56% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 25 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 Camden if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Camden via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44009658, reference CA7, 30.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.