Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Sidmouth Town Centre conservation area
In the Sidmouth Town Centre conservation area (East Devon), 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 121 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. 506 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 33.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 56.5% heat with a gas boiler and 63.6% 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
506homes with an energy certificate
33.8%solid walls, no insulation
56.5%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: East Devon does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Sidmouth Town Centre
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: 121 in the area (grade I: 2, II*: 8). 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: 76% 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 = 506)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
171
33.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
95
18.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
61
12.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
47
9.3%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
35
6.9%
Timber frame
33
6.5%
Cavity wall, filled
23
4.5%
Other or not known
18
3.6%
Solid wall, insulated
7
1.4%
Solid wall, internal insulation
7
1.4%
Solid wall, partly insulated
7
1.4%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.2%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
286
56.5%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
211
41.7%
Communal heating
8
1.6%
Oil
1
0.2%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
64
12.6%
Under 200 mm
73
14.4%
200 mm or more
95
18.8%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
70
13.8%
Flat or other home above
178
35.2%
Other
26
5.1%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
388
76.7%
Single glazed
80
15.8%
Secondary glazing
37
7.3%
Triple glazed
1
0.2%
CDE
Energy rating: B 17 (3.4%) · C 167 (33.0%) · D 185 (36.6%) · E 101 (20.0%) · F 22 (4.3%) · G 14 (2.8%). Houses and bungalows: 24% of the homes; solar panels on 0.8% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: before 1900. Designated: 1 November 1970.
Compared with East Devon and England
Share of homes
Sidmouth Town Centre
All 32 areas in East Devon
England
Solid walls, no insulation
33.8%
49.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
56.5%
68.4%
66.4%
Rated D–G
63.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 52% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 14 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 East Devon if in doubt.
Boundary: East Devon District Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44012486, reference 9370, 28.9 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.