Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Stoke Newington conservation area
In the Stoke Newington 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 43 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. 734 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 57.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 73.0% heat with a gas boiler and 45.8% are rated D–G; 1 has 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
734homes with an energy certificate
57.8%solid walls, no insulation
73.0%heated by a gas boiler
1heat 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; Stoke Newington Church Street Local Shopping Centre; Stoke Newington District Centre; Stoke Newington High Street District Town Centre)
What needs planning permission in Stoke Newington
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: 43 in the area (grade I: 0, II*: 3). 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: 87% 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 = 734)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
424
57.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
116
15.8%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
88
12.0%
Solid wall, insulated
34
4.6%
Solid wall, internal insulation
20
2.7%
Timber frame
18
2.5%
Other or not known
15
2.0%
Cavity wall, unfilled
8
1.1%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
5
0.7%
Solid wall, partly insulated
4
0.5%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
1
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
536
73.0%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
113
15.4%
Communal heating
84
11.4%
Heat pump
1
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
114
15.5%
Under 200 mm
88
12.0%
200 mm or more
29
4.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
103
14.0%
Flat or other home above
330
45.0%
Other
70
9.5%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
593
80.8%
Single glazed
116
15.8%
Secondary glazing
25
3.4%
CDE
Energy rating: B 27 (3.7%) · C 371 (50.5%) · D 263 (35.8%) · E 66 (9.0%) · F 5 (0.7%) · G 2 (0.3%). Houses and bungalows: 13% 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
Stoke Newington
All 37 areas in Hackney
England
Solid walls, no insulation
57.8%
50.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
73.0%
70.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
45.8%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 54% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 8 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 44016004, reference CA13, 23.5 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.