Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Deal - Middle Street ({CAE67B0B-5AAD-4945-9BFB-DE4B8B04E541}) conservation area
In the Deal - Middle Street conservation area (Dover), 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 Dover covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. The area has 270 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. 547 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 66.5% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 80.8% heat with a gas boiler and 68.7% 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
547homes with an energy certificate
66.5%solid walls, no insulation
80.8%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Dover covers this area, but the published data does not say which rights it removes — check the direction before any work. (Article 4(2) Direction No. 1 2000, Town and Country (General Permitted Development) Order 1995)
What needs planning permission in Deal - Middle Street
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: 270 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: 40% 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 = 547)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
364
66.5%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
47
8.6%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
25
4.6%
Solid wall, insulated
23
4.2%
Timber frame
21
3.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
20
3.7%
Cavity wall, unfilled
19
3.5%
Other or not known
10
1.8%
Solid wall, partly insulated
10
1.8%
Cavity wall, filled
4
0.7%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
3
0.5%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
442
80.8%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
98
17.9%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
5
0.9%
Communal heating
2
0.4%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
133
24.3%
Under 200 mm
108
19.7%
200 mm or more
91
16.6%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
56
10.2%
Flat or other home above
140
25.6%
Other
19
3.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
280
51.2%
Single glazed
194
35.5%
Secondary glazing
70
12.8%
Triple glazed
3
0.5%
CDE
Energy rating: B 26 (4.8%) · C 145 (26.5%) · D 234 (42.8%) · E 101 (18.5%) · F 27 (4.9%) · G 14 (2.6%). Houses and bungalows: 60% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 23 February 1968.
Compared with Dover and England
Share of homes
Deal - Middle Street
All 103 areas in Dover
England
Solid walls, no insulation
66.5%
60.8%
48.7%
Gas boiler
80.8%
77.1%
66.4%
Rated D–G
68.7%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 51% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 22 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 Dover if in doubt.
Boundary: Dover District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44009709, reference {CAE67B0B-5AAD-4945-9BFB-DE4B8B04E541}, 18.7 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.