Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Bishop Auckland conservation area
In the Bishop Auckland conservation area (Durham), 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 69 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. 456 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 47.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 74.3% heat with a gas boiler and 57.9% are rated D–G; 1 has 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
456homes with an energy certificate
47.4%solid walls, no insulation
74.3%heated by a gas boiler
1heat pumps
Article 4: Durham does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Bishop Auckland
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: 69 in the area (grade I: 8, II*: 2). 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: 45% 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 = 456)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
216
47.4%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
63
13.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
62
13.6%
Cavity wall, filled
24
5.3%
Other or not known
20
4.4%
Solid wall, internal insulation
18
3.9%
Cavity wall, unfilled
17
3.7%
Solid wall, insulated
16
3.5%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
9
2.0%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
6
1.3%
Solid wall, external insulation
3
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.2%
Timber frame
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
339
74.3%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
92
20.2%
Communal heating
20
4.4%
Solid fuel (wood, coal)
3
0.7%
Heat pump
1
0.2%
Oil
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
81
17.8%
Under 200 mm
77
16.9%
200 mm or more
111
24.3%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
47
10.3%
Flat or other home above
91
20.0%
Other
49
10.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
410
89.9%
Single glazed
34
7.5%
Secondary glazing
12
2.6%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 77 (16.9%) · C 115 (25.2%) · D 166 (36.4%) · E 81 (17.8%) · F 12 (2.6%) · G 5 (1.1%). Houses and bungalows: 55% of the homes; solar panels on 0.4% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1969.
Compared with Durham and England
Share of homes
Bishop Auckland
All 93 areas in Durham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
47.4%
47.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
74.3%
72.9%
66.4%
Rated D–G
57.9%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 59% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 21 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 Durham if in doubt.
Boundary: Durham County Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44006436, reference 9230, 86.2 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.