Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Bodmin conservation area
In the Bodmin conservation area (Cornwall), 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 96 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. 1,115 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 43.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 63.2% heat with a gas boiler and 54.5% are rated D–G; 24 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
1,115homes with an energy certificate
43.9%solid walls, no insulation
63.2%heated by a gas boiler
24heat pumps
Article 4: Cornwall does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Bodmin
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: 96 in the area (grade I: 1, II*: 6). 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: 47% 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 = 1,115)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
490
43.9%
Timber frame
168
15.1%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
151
13.5%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
136
12.2%
Solid wall, insulated
61
5.5%
Solid wall, internal insulation
39
3.5%
Cavity wall, filled
32
2.9%
Cavity wall, unfilled
22
2.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
9
0.8%
Other or not known
4
0.4%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
705
63.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
356
31.9%
Heat pump
24
2.2%
Communal heating
23
2.1%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
5
0.4%
LPG
2
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
94
8.4%
Under 200 mm
196
17.6%
200 mm or more
325
29.1%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
121
10.9%
Flat or other home above
270
24.2%
Other
109
9.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
920
82.5%
Single glazed
164
14.7%
Secondary glazing
29
2.6%
Triple glazed
2
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: B 78 (7.0%) · C 429 (38.5%) · D 346 (31.0%) · E 202 (18.1%) · F 40 (3.6%) · G 20 (1.8%). Houses and bungalows: 53% of the homes; solar panels on 0.5% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 9 October 1991.
Compared with Cornwall and England
Share of homes
Bodmin
All 145 areas in Cornwall
England
Solid walls, no insulation
43.9%
56.0%
48.7%
Gas boiler
63.2%
51.3%
66.4%
Rated D–G
54.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 53% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 27 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 Cornwall if in doubt.
Boundary: Cornwall Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44002663, reference DCO119, 47.1 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.