Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Herne Bay conservation area
In the Herne Bay conservation area (Canterbury), 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 Canterbury covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 41 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. 3,383 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 55.6% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 70.1% heat with a gas boiler and 59.7% are rated D–G; 19 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
3,383homes with an energy certificate
55.6%solid walls, no insulation
70.1%heated by a gas boiler
19heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Canterbury covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Dwelling houses in Herne Bay Conservation Area)
What needs planning permission in Herne Bay
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: 41 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: 70% 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 = 3,383)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,880
55.6%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
428
12.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
274
8.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
212
6.3%
Cavity wall, filled
197
5.8%
Timber frame
130
3.8%
Other or not known
104
3.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
76
2.2%
Solid wall, insulated
39
1.2%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
22
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
11
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
8
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
2,373
70.1%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
779
23.0%
Communal heating
203
6.0%
Heat pump
19
0.6%
LPG
6
0.2%
Oil
2
0.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
454
13.4%
Under 200 mm
599
17.7%
200 mm or more
515
15.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
248
7.3%
Flat or other home above
1,385
40.9%
Other
182
5.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
2,847
84.2%
Single glazed
423
12.5%
Secondary glazing
112
3.3%
Triple glazed
1
0.0%
BCDE
Energy rating: A 1 (0.0%) · B 309 (9.1%) · C 1,052 (31.1%) · D 1,309 (38.7%) · E 605 (17.9%) · F 84 (2.5%) · G 23 (0.7%). Houses and bungalows: 30% of the homes; solar panels on 0.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 3 July 1970.
Compared with Canterbury and England
Share of homes
Herne Bay
All 98 areas in Canterbury
England
Solid walls, no insulation
55.6%
36.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
70.1%
73.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
59.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 53% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 31 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 Canterbury if in doubt.
Boundary: Canterbury City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44010059, reference 174, 115.1 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.