Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Mare Street conservation area
In the Mare 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 9 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. 1,232 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 22.2% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 59.4% heat with a gas boiler and 23.5% are rated D–G; 6 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
1,232homes with an energy certificate
22.2%solid walls, no insulation
59.4%heated by a gas boiler
6heat 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; Hackney Central; Hackney Central Major Town Centre; London borough of Hackney)
What needs planning permission in Mare 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: 9 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: 93% 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 = 1,232)
Walls
Homes
Share
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
324
26.3%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
274
22.2%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
247
20.0%
Other or not known
168
13.6%
Cavity wall, unfilled
128
10.4%
Solid wall, insulated
24
1.9%
Solid wall, internal insulation
24
1.9%
Cavity wall, filled
19
1.5%
Timber frame
19
1.5%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
2
0.2%
Solid wall, external insulation
2
0.2%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
732
59.4%
Communal heating
282
22.9%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
212
17.2%
Heat pump
6
0.5%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
131
10.6%
Under 200 mm
16
1.3%
200 mm or more
18
1.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
192
15.6%
Flat or other home above
743
60.3%
Other
132
10.7%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,155
93.8%
Single glazed
56
4.5%
Secondary glazing
12
1.0%
Triple glazed
9
0.7%
BCD
Energy rating: A 8 (0.6%) · B 406 (33.0%) · C 529 (42.9%) · D 233 (18.9%) · E 47 (3.8%) · F 6 (0.5%) · G 3 (0.2%). Houses and bungalows: 7% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2003-2006. Designated: 1 January 2000.
Compared with Hackney and England
Share of homes
Mare Street
All 37 areas in Hackney
England
Solid walls, no insulation
22.2%
50.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
59.4%
70.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
23.5%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 45% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 31 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 44016034, reference CA31, 16.7 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.