Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Hoxton Street conservation area
In the Hoxton Street 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 8 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. 396 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 43.4% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 79.0% heat with a gas boiler and 27.0% 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
396homes with an energy certificate
43.4%solid walls, no insulation
79.0%heated by a gas boiler
0heat 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; Hoxton Street Local Shopping Centre; London borough of Hackney; Tech City (CAZ North))
What needs planning permission in Hoxton 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)
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: 8 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: 98% 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 = 396)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
172
43.4%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
94
23.7%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
54
13.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
21
5.3%
Timber frame
14
3.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
9
2.3%
Cavity wall, filled
8
2.0%
Other or not known
7
1.8%
Solid wall, internal insulation
7
1.8%
Solid wall, insulated
5
1.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
4
1.0%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.3%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
313
79.0%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
81
20.5%
Communal heating
2
0.5%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
42
10.6%
Under 200 mm
17
4.3%
200 mm or more
2
0.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
65
16.4%
Flat or other home above
248
62.6%
Other
22
5.6%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
282
71.2%
Single glazed
112
28.3%
Secondary glazing
2
0.5%
BCD
Energy rating: A 4 (1.0%) · B 57 (14.4%) · C 228 (57.6%) · D 82 (20.7%) · E 16 (4.0%) · F 2 (0.5%) · G 7 (1.8%). Houses and bungalows: 2% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1983.
Compared with Hackney and England
Share of homes
Hoxton Street
All 37 areas in Hackney
England
Solid walls, no insulation
43.4%
50.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
79.0%
70.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
27.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 58% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 17 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 Hackney if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Hackney via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44016010, reference CA37, 4.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.