Solar panels, heat pumps and insulation in Fulham Reach conservation area
In the Fulham Reach conservation area (Hammersmith & Fulham), 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. The area has 2 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. 1,449 homes inside the boundary have an energy certificate: 4.8% are solid-wall homes with no wall insulation, 30.9% heat with a gas boiler and 11.6% are rated D–G; 96 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
1,449homes with an energy certificate
4.8%solid walls, no insulation
30.9%heated by a gas boiler
96heat pumps
Article 4: Hammersmith & Fulham does not publish Article 4 areas on planning.data.gov.uk — check with the council.
What needs planning permission in Fulham Reach
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), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
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), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
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)
Prior approval of appearance from the council, unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance
No permission needed (permitted development), unless an Article 4 direction removes it — check with the council
Part 1 Class A, A.3(a)
Listed buildings: 2 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: 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 = 1,449)
Walls
Homes
Share
Modern wall (U-value from the design)
736
50.8%
Cavity wall, insulated (as built or unspecified)
185
12.8%
Cavity wall, unfilled
142
9.8%
Cavity wall, partly insulated
131
9.0%
Other or not known
97
6.7%
Solid wall (brick or stone), no insulation
70
4.8%
Cavity wall, filled
68
4.7%
Timber frame
12
0.8%
Cavity wall, internal or external insulation
4
0.3%
Solid wall, partly insulated
2
0.1%
Solid wall, external insulation
1
0.1%
Solid wall, internal insulation
1
0.1%
Heating
Homes
Share
Communal heating
857
59.1%
Gas boiler
448
30.9%
Heat pump
96
6.6%
Electric (storage heaters, panels, boiler)
46
3.2%
LPG
2
0.1%
Loft / roof insulation
Homes
Share
No insulation
22
1.5%
Under 200 mm
50
3.5%
200 mm or more
22
1.5%
Insulated (depth not recorded)
146
10.1%
Flat or other home above
1,044
72.0%
Other
165
11.4%
Windows
Homes
Share
Double glazed
1,375
94.9%
Single glazed
63
4.3%
Triple glazed
6
0.4%
Secondary glazing
5
0.3%
BCD
Energy rating: B 815 (56.2%) · C 466 (32.2%) · D 130 (9.0%) · E 36 (2.5%) · F 2 (0.1%). Houses and bungalows: 7% of the homes; solar panels on 0.0% of the certificates. Most common build period on the certificates: 2019.
Compared with Hammersmith & Fulham and England
Share of homes
Fulham Reach
All 46 areas in Hammersmith & Fulham
England
Solid walls, no insulation
4.8%
65.3%
48.7%
Gas boiler
30.9%
70.7%
66.4%
Rated D–G
11.6%
—
56.5%
Caveats
Certificates describe a home when it was assessed; 40% 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 Hammersmith & Fulham if in doubt.
Boundary: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham via planning.data.gov.uk (entity 44012339, reference 39, 39.0 ha). Homes are placed by the coordinates of their UPRN (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.