Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Riverside, Gravesend conservation area
In the Riverside, Gravesend conservation area (Gravesham), 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 Gravesham covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. The area has 12 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. 214 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 36.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 67.3% heat with a gas boiler and 32.2% 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
214homes with an energy certificate
36.4%solid walls, no insulation
67.3%heated by a gas boiler
0heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Gravesham covers this area and removes permitted development rights for replacement windows and doors, and other alterations to the house, alterations to the roof (e.g. rooflights), painting the outside, so there these need planning permission too. (Riverside, Gravesend, - Ar/08/3)
What needs planning permission in Riverside, Gravesend
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)
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)
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)
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
Planning permission needed (an Article 4 direction here removes this right)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 12 in the area (grade I: 0, 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: 71% 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 = 214)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
78
36.4%
Other or not known
49
22.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
35
16.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
25
11.7%
Solid wall, insulated
17
7.9%
Timber frame
10
4.7%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
144
67.3%
Communal heating
44
20.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
26
12.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
16
7.5%
Under 200 mm
24
11.2%
200 mm or more
13
6.1%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
35
16.4%
Flat or other home above
97
45.3%
Other
29
13.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
170
79.4%
Single glazed
44
20.6%
BCD
Energy rating: A 3 (1.4%) · B 34 (15.9%) · C 108 (50.5%) · D 54 (25.2%) · E 14 (6.5%) · F 1 (0.5%). Houses and bungalows: 29% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 18 December 1980.
Compared with Gravesham and England
Share of homes
Riverside, Gravesend
All 23 areas in Gravesham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
36.4%
59.6%
48.7%
Gas boiler
67.3%
68.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
32.2%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 28 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 Gravesham if in doubt.
Boundary: Gravesham Borough Council via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44016190, reference 2008/31/CONARA, 15.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.