Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Town Hall Square conservation area
In the Town Hall Square 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 11 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. 151 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 54.3% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 72.2% heat with a gas boiler and 47.0% are rated D–G; 3 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
151homes with an energy certificate
54.3%solid walls, no insulation
72.2%heated by a gas boiler
3heat 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 Town Hall Square
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: 11 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 = 151)
Walls
Homes
Share
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
82
54.3%
Cavity wall, unfilled
16
10.6%
Other or not known
15
9.9%
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
12
7.9%
Timber frame
9
6.0%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
8
5.3%
Solid wall, internal insulation
4
2.6%
Solid wall, insulated
2
1.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
1.3%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
1
0.7%
Heating
Homes
Share
Gas boiler
109
72.2%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
37
24.5%
Heat pump
3
2.0%
Communal heating
2
1.3%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
24
15.9%
Under 200 mm
7
4.6%
200 mm or more
6
4.0%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
23
15.2%
Flat or other home above
83
55.0%
Other
8
5.3%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
126
83.4%
Single glazed
19
12.6%
Secondary glazing
6
4.0%
BCDE
Energy rating: B 18 (11.9%) · C 62 (41.1%) · D 43 (28.5%) · E 16 (10.6%) · F 6 (4.0%) · G 6 (4.0%). Houses and bungalows: 7% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 1900-1929. Designated: 1 January 1995.
Compared with Hackney and England
Share of homes
Town Hall Square
All 37 areas in Hackney
England
Solid walls, no insulation
54.3%
50.5%
48.7%
Gas boiler
72.2%
70.8%
66.4%
Rated D–G
47.0%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 55% of these are from 2020 or later (latest 2 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 44016027, reference CA8, 3.8 ha); the council's appraisal or map. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.