Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Bourton-on-the-Water conservation area
In the Bourton-on-the-Water conservation area (Cotswold), 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 Cotswold covers part of this area (about 1% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 104 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. 158 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 60.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 88.6% heat with a gas boiler and 72.2% 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
158homes with an energy certificate
60.8%solid walls, no insulation
88.6%heated by a gas boiler
2heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Cotswold covers part of this area (about 1% of it) and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Article 4 (2) Direction Bourton-On-The-Water)
What needs planning permission in Bourton-on-the-Water
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)
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)
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)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
Inside the Article 4 part of the area: planning permission needed; elsewhere: no permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 104 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 7). 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: 8% 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 = 158)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
96
60.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
30
19.0%
Cavity wall, filled
16
10.1%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
8
5.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
4
2.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
1
0.6%
Solid wall, insulated
1
0.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
1
0.6%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.6%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
140
88.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
13
8.2%
Heat pump
2
1.3%
Oil
2
1.3%
Communal heating
1
0.6%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
38
24.1%
Under 200 mm
31
19.6%
200 mm or more
35
22.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
44
27.8%
Flat or other home above
2
1.3%
Other
8
5.1%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
125
79.1%
Single glazed
24
15.2%
Secondary glazing
8
5.1%
Triple glazed
1
0.6%
CDE
Energy rating: B 7 (4.4%) · C 37 (23.4%) · D 66 (41.8%) · E 35 (22.2%) · F 11 (7.0%) · G 2 (1.3%). Houses and bungalows: 92% of the homes; solar panels on 1.3% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 7 July 1971.
Compared with Cotswold and England
Share of homes
Bourton-on-the-Water
All 144 areas in Cotswold
England
Solid walls, no insulation
60.8%
59.2%
48.7%
Gas boiler
88.6%
45.1%
66.4%
Rated D–G
72.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 50% 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 Cotswold if in doubt.
Boundary: Cotswold District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014664, reference CONARA/139, 38.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.