Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in OLD DOVER ROAD, OATEN HILL AND ST. LAWRENCE. Canterbury Cons Area. reg conservation area
In the OLD DOVER ROAD, OATEN HILL AND ST. LAWRENCE. Canterbury Cons Area. reg 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 46 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. 501 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 30.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 71.9% heat with a gas boiler and 42.7% 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
501homes with an energy certificate
30.3%solid walls, no insulation
71.9%heated by a gas boiler
2heat 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. (COSSINGTON ROAD 1,1A,1B; COSSINGTON ROAD 11 TO 33 (ODD); COSSINGTON ROAD 16 TO 32 (EVEN), OLD DOVER ROAD 41 TO 63 (ODD); COSSINGTON ROAD 39; COSSINGTON ROAD 42 TO 50 (EVEN); COSSINGTON ROAD 51 TO 61 (ODD))
What needs planning permission in OLD DOVER ROAD, OATEN HILL AND ST. LAWRENCE. Canterbury Cons Area. reg
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: 46 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: 56% 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 = 501)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
152
30.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
127
25.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
73
14.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
58
11.6%
Timber frame
32
6.4%
Cavity wall, filled
19
3.8%
Solid wall, insulated
16
3.2%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
12
2.4%
Solid wall, internal insulation
6
1.2%
Other or not known
4
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.2%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
360
71.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
131
26.1%
Communal heating
7
1.4%
Heat pump
2
0.4%
Oil
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
51
10.2%
Under 200 mm
63
12.6%
200 mm or more
87
17.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
50
10.0%
Flat or other home above
168
33.5%
Other
82
16.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
383
76.4%
Single glazed
88
17.6%
Secondary glazing
30
6.0%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 127 (25.3%) · C 160 (31.9%) · D 152 (30.3%) · E 55 (11.0%) · F 6 (1.2%) · G 1 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 44% of the homes; solar panels on 0.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 10 November 1998.
Compared with Canterbury and England
Share of homes
OLD DOVER ROAD, OATEN HILL AND ST. LAWRENCE. Canterbury Cons Area. reg
All 98 areas in Canterbury
England
Solid walls, no insulation
30.3%
36.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
71.9%
73.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
42.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 42% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 19 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 44002150, reference 185, 24.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.