Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in South Norwood conservation area
In the South Norwood 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 6 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. 1,385 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 47.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 76.8% heat with a gas boiler and 42.6% are rated D–G; 7 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
1,385homes with an energy certificate
47.4%solid walls, no insulation
76.8%heated by a gas boiler
7heat pumps
Article 4: Croydon does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in South Norwood
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: 6 in the area (grade I: 0, 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: 90% 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 = 1,385)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
657
47.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
222
16.0%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
203
14.7%
Other or not known
67
4.8%
Timber frame
53
3.8%
Cavity wall, filled
46
3.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
45
3.2%
Solid wall, internal insulation
39
2.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
27
1.9%
Solid wall, insulated
17
1.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
4
0.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
4
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
1,063
76.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
289
20.9%
Communal heating
25
1.8%
Heat pump
7
0.5%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
161
11.6%
Under 200 mm
110
7.9%
200 mm or more
80
5.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
151
10.9%
Flat or other home above
742
53.6%
Other
141
10.2%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,288
93.0%
Single glazed
89
6.4%
Secondary glazing
7
0.5%
Triple glazed
1
0.1%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 237 (17.1%) · C 558 (40.3%) · D 440 (31.8%) · E 128 (9.2%) · F 19 (1.4%) · G 3 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 10% of the homes; solar panels on 0.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929.
Compared with Croydon and England
Share of homes
South Norwood
All 20 areas in Croydon
England
Solid walls, no insulation
47.4%
50.4%
48.7%
Gas boiler
76.8%
77.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
42.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 57% 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 44006932, reference 1403, 28.9 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.