Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Earlsdon conservation area
In the Earlsdon conservation area (Coventry), 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 Coventry covers this area and removes permitted development rights for solar panels on the house, replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, so there these need planning permission too. 1,768 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 66.9% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 78.5% heat with a gas boiler and 70.6% are rated D–G; 4 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
1,768homes with an energy certificate
66.9%solid walls, no insulation
78.5%heated by a gas boiler
4heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Coventry covers this area and removes permitted development rights for solar panels on the house, replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), chimneys, flues and soil pipes, so there these need planning permission too. (Earlsdon; HMO - 30.9.23; Land at 6 The Firs)
What needs planning permission in Earlsdon
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)
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
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)
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: none recorded inside the boundary; on a listed building, solar panels and heat pumps are not permitted development and need listed building consent.
Flats: 37% 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 = 1,768)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
1,183
66.9%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
223
12.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
100
5.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
82
4.6%
Cavity wall, filled
81
4.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
37
2.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
26
1.5%
Timber frame
20
1.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
12
0.7%
Other or not known
4
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,388
78.5%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
337
19.1%
Communal heating
38
2.1%
Heat pump
4
0.2%
LPG
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
382
21.6%
Under 200 mm
380
21.5%
200 mm or more
427
24.2%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
163
9.2%
Flat or other home above
349
19.7%
Other
67
3.8%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,697
96.0%
Single glazed
53
3.0%
Secondary glazing
15
0.8%
Triple glazed
3
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: A 8 (0.5%) · B 95 (5.4%) · C 416 (23.5%) · D 804 (45.5%) · E 384 (21.7%) · F 55 (3.1%) · G 6 (0.3%). Houses and bungalows: 63% of the homes; solar panels on 0.7% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929.
Compared with Coventry and England
Share of homes
Earlsdon
All 18 areas in Coventry
England
Solid walls, no insulation
66.9%
45.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
78.5%
72.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
70.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 29 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 Coventry if in doubt.
Boundary: Coventry City Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44014494, reference CA18, 72.2 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.