Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in The Chartham Registered conservation area
In the The Chartham Registered 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 part of this area (about 0% of it), but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 33 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. 197 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 42.1% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 93.4% heat with a gas boiler and 67.5% 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
197homes with an energy certificate
42.1%solid walls, no insulation
93.4%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Canterbury covers part of this area (about 0% of it), but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (1 BOX TREE COTTAGES, BOLTS HILL; 1, 3, 5, SHALMSFORD STREET; 2 BOX TREE COTTAGES, BOLTS HILL; 3 DEANERY FARM COTTAGES, BOLTS HILL; 38, 40 SHALMSFORD STREET, ADAMS COTTAGES; 4 DEANERY FARM COTTAGES, BOLTS HILL)
What needs planning permission in The Chartham Registered
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: 33 in the area (grade I: 1, 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: 5% 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 = 197)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
83
42.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
29
14.7%
Cavity wall, filled
26
13.2%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
22
11.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
17
8.6%
Solid wall, insulated
8
4.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
4
2.0%
Solid wall, internal insulation
3
1.5%
Timber frame
3
1.5%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.5%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.5%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
184
93.4%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
6
3.0%
Oil
3
1.5%
Heat pump
2
1.0%
Communal heating
1
0.5%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.5%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
32
16.2%
Under 200 mm
65
33.0%
200 mm or more
52
26.4%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
27
13.7%
Flat or other home above
4
2.0%
Other
17
8.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
155
78.7%
Single glazed
24
12.2%
Secondary glazing
17
8.6%
Triple glazed
1
0.5%
CDE
Energy rating: B 14 (7.1%) · C 50 (25.4%) · D 84 (42.6%) · E 39 (19.8%) · F 9 (4.6%) · G 1 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 95% of the homes; solar panels on 1.5% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900.
Compared with Canterbury and England
Share of homes
The Chartham Registered
All 98 areas in Canterbury
England
Solid walls, no insulation
42.1%
36.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
93.4%
73.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
67.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 46% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 30 September 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 44010045, reference 160, 125.3 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.