Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Hackney Road conservation area
In the Hackney Road conservation area (Hackney), 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 Hackney covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. The area has 14 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. 760 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 19.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 39.9% heat with a gas boiler and 17.6% are rated D–G; 4 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
760homes with an energy certificate
19.3%solid walls, no insulation
39.9%heated by a gas boiler
4heat pumps
Article 4: An Article 4 direction published by Hackney covers this area but deals with other things (such as changes of use); it does not change the rules below. (A4D Non-residential to residential; London borough of Hackney; Tech City (CAZ North))
What needs planning permission in Hackney Road
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
No permission needed (permitted development)
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 14 in the area. 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: 97% 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 = 760)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
433
57.0%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
147
19.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
61
8.0%
Other or not known
48
6.3%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
32
4.2%
Timber frame
26
3.4%
Solid wall, internal insulation
5
0.7%
Solid wall, insulated
4
0.5%
Cavity wall, filled
2
0.3%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Solid wall, partly insulated
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Communal heating
381
50.1%
Gas boiler
303
39.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
72
9.5%
Heat pump
4
0.5%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
38
5.0%
Under 200 mm
13
1.7%
200 mm or more
4
0.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
55
7.2%
Flat or other home above
501
65.9%
Other
149
19.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
633
83.3%
Single glazed
115
15.1%
Secondary glazing
12
1.6%
BCD
Energy rating: A 1 (0.1%) · B 437 (57.5%) · C 188 (24.7%) · D 80 (10.5%) · E 27 (3.6%) · F 17 (2.2%) · G 10 (1.3%). Houses and bungalows: 3% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2020. Designated: 1 January 2009.
Compared with Hackney and England
Share of homes
Hackney Road
All 37 areas in Hackney
England
Solid walls, no insulation
19.3%
50.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
39.9%
70.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
17.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 49% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 24 September 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 Hackney if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Hackney via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44016030, reference CA27, 18.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.