Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Central Croydon conservation area
In the Central Croydon conservation area (Croydon), 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 14 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. 373 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 20.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 22.8% heat with a gas boiler and 27.3% are rated D–G; 0 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
373homes with an energy certificate
20.4%solid walls, no insulation
22.8%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: Croydon does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Central Croydon
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: 14 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: 100% 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 = 373)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
163
43.7%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
76
20.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
71
19.0%
Other or not known
33
8.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
15
4.0%
Timber frame
4
1.1%
Cavity wall, unfilled
3
0.8%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.8%
Cavity wall, filled
2
0.5%
Solid wall, insulated
2
0.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
1
0.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
232
62.2%
Gas boiler
85
22.8%
Communal heating
56
15.0%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
12
3.2%
Under 200 mm
11
2.9%
200 mm or more
5
1.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
33
8.8%
Flat or other home above
243
65.1%
Other
69
18.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
353
94.6%
Single glazed
13
3.5%
Secondary glazing
5
1.3%
Triple glazed
2
0.5%
BCD
Energy rating: B 100 (26.8%) · C 171 (45.8%) · D 82 (22.0%) · E 16 (4.3%) · F 1 (0.3%) · G 3 (0.8%). Houses and bungalows: 0% of the homes; solar panels on 0.8% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2024.
Compared with Croydon and England
Share of homes
Central Croydon
All 20 areas in Croydon
England
Solid walls, no insulation
20.4%
50.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
22.8%
77.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
27.3%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 69% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 30 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 Croydon if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Croydon via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44006923, reference 1406, 10.2 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.